CHEAP BEER & POLISHED METAL
by 30secondfics
Summary: [A/U]: After a bad break-up, Teddy takes a heartbroken Arizona to a strip club where they meet night dancers, Callie and Addison. (Rated M in future chapters) [A/N]: One-shot prompt on 30secondfics.tumblr that turned into a multi-chapter.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: All copyrighted material belongs to their respective owners. This is a work of fiction. This not for profit. No infringement intended.

~author's note~ I'm not a fan of Callie being a stripper but I decided to take the challenge work with it. Thanks to the prompter and the people who voted to make this a multi-chapter. Enjoy ;)

Chapter 1

"Teddy do we have to?"

"YES! You need to get out of that cave of yours." Teddy held her best friend's hand to make sure she didn't go anywhere.

"Okay, but why here? You don't even like girls!"

"No, BUT YOU DO!" Teddy burst out in laughter as the bouncer opened the door and they made their way into the night club.

"Teddy, I can't be here!" Arizona winced as the loud music met her ears. "Oh my god!" she quickly shut her eyes when she saw the half naked women on stage.

"Of course you can! You're never gonna get over Joanne if you don't get out of your cocoon!" Teddy sat her best friend in front of the stage and signaled for the waitress.

"Watching women strip won't either!" Arizona felt her cheeks turn red just form being there.

"Oh loosen up, would you?" Teddy nudged Arizona's elbow and yelled her order to the waitress behind them.

"I'm good, thanks!" Arizona held her hand up when the waitress approached her.

"You need a drink to sit up here, ma'am."

"She'll have one domestic," Teddy answered for Arizona.

"Alright, they'll be right up."

"Teddy, I'm not drinking that..." Arizona eyed her best friend.

"I know, that was for me!" Teddy smirked and cheered as more dancers came on stage.

Their drinks were delivered moments later, and Arizona watched the women dance. Other than the fact that they were barely wearing anything, she was quite impressed at their flexibility and pole choreography. Teddy seemed to be enjoying herself more, however.

"Do you ladies wanna dance?" a tall redhead approached the two friends.

"We could take both of you, or one at a time." a tall brunette added beside her..

Teddy looked at Arizona and raised her eyebrow.

"Oh no... NO!" Arizona shook her head.

"Um, YES! How much?" Teddy pulled her wallet out of her jacket.

"Twenty bucks for a song." the brunette answered.

"I call the redhead!" Teddy stood up and placed the bill in the redhead's bra.

"Looks like you're with me," The hot brunette smiled.

"Here, take care of her for me..." Teddy handed the brunette the bill and gave Arizona a pat on the back.

"We'll bring you back here in a few minutes" the redhead said.

"What? Where are we going?" Arizona gulped.

"We do lap dances in the private rooms" the brunette answered.

Arizona's eyes widened and she quickly glanced at Teddy.

"See you in a few minutes!" Teddy waved over her shoulder as the tall redhead led her to their private room.

"Right this way..." the brunette took Arizona's hand.

"Um... yeah, okay" Arizona hesitated. This couldn't be too bad, right?

The tall brunette brought her to the private room and pulled the black curtain close to give them some privacy. As the music started, she sat Arizona down on the single chair. She began danging around her and Arizona stayed perfectly still. The music picked up and eventually, Arizona found the woman dancing on her lap. She was gorgeous... breathtakingly stunning... but Arizona kept her eyes on the dancer's face. She couldn't find it in herself to watch this woman's body without knowing her.

Somewhere along the song, the brunette tossed her bra and Arizona's eyes widened. It became harder to keep her eyes up and the woman really knew how to give a lap dance.

"You can touch them..." she offered.

"Um, no thank you" Arizona squeaked.

"First time?" the dancer smiled.

Arizona nodded her head.

"You're allowed to touch my ass" she informed Arizona.

"I'm fine here, thanks" Arizona blushed.

The dancer laughed and continued her lap routine. The woman paid a lap dance, and a lap dance was what she was going to give until the end of the song.

"Well, um... thanks for that." Arizona stood up when the song faded and the brunette got off her lap.

"No, thank you!" the night dancer smiled.

"Huh?" Arizona creased her forehead.

"You're probably gonna be the most respectful client I'm gonna get tonight," the brunette pulled a small towel out of her purse to wipe her glistening neck and forehead. Dancing in the small private rooms always broke out a sweat.

"Oh um, no problem. I hope your other clients are too..." Arizona didn't know why she was having trouble talking but she was. The woman was just gorgeous. They just met but she already made her a little nervous.

"Ha! We can hope... come on, let's get you back to your friend." The night dancer took her hand and led her back into the crowded club.

When they got to their spot, Teddy was already sitting with a large smirk on her face.

"I um... thanks again..." Arizona managed to cough up.

"Any time, Dimples!" The brunette gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and headed back towards the crowd of men.

"Looks like she has a new regular client," Teddy teased as Arizona sat down.

"What?" Arizona looked over her shoulder and watched the tall brunette walk away. When her gaze met Teddy's smirk, she rolled her eyes. "NO, because we're never coming back here!"

Teddy couldn't help but laugh, "Mhm, we'll see about that."


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: All copyrighted material belongs to their respective owners. This is a work of fiction. This not for profit. No infringement intended.

~author's note~ More to come… thanks for reading! :)

Chapter 2

Arizona swore she would never come back. But after a long day at work, she didn't want to go home and relive her usual Friday night routine. Which included a glass of wine, a sappy movie special on TV, and falling asleep on her couch. It had been three long weeks since Joanne walked out of her life, and she found herself waking up with a sore back every Saturday since. So tonight she decided to go out. Even if it was on her own, she needed a change of environment.

Leaving her car at work, she took a cab to the club, knowing she would be drinking tonight.

Sitting in the same spot in front of the stage, Arizona ordered her hard drink and watched the stage dancers while she waited for the floor dancers to come out. In the back of her mind, she knew she was waiting for the same brunette, but she was ready to pay for anyone who would get her mind off of her reality.

As the night progressed, and the alcohol settled into her system, it would be just her luck that the brunette came out to look for her clients. Arizona's eyes were instantly drawn to her and she lifts her hand to signal her to come over.

"Hey, sweetie!" The night dancer greeted her "Want a dance?"

Arizona simply nodded her head. She wondered if the night dancer remembered her, but she highly doubted it considering the amount of people that walked into that club every night.

"Well, come on!" The brunette smiled and offered her hand. Arizona snapped out of her deep thoughts and took it. The dancer lead her to the same private room and pulled back the curtain to give them some privacy. Arizona automatically took her seat and soon the brunette was on her lap again.

With the stressors in her life, and the bittersweet effect of her drink in her system, Arizona let herself appreciate the beautiful woman in front of her. She placed her hands on the dancer's hips and gasped the soft skin in her hands. When the brunette took off her top, Arizona slid her hands up her sides and stopped when her thumbs brushed the underside of her breast. She was given permission to touch them, but Arizona couldn't find it in herself to touch something so personal in exchange for money.

She gazed up at the dancer and watched her carefully. Light sweat beaded at her forehead from grinding her hips against Arizona's lap, and her eyes remained locked on the ground. It was like she couldn't watch Arizona while she danced practically naked on top of her.

"What's your name?" Arizona asked hazily. Her hands went back to the woman's hips and she held her as she danced.

"They call me Rock Star," the dancer chuckled.

"Rock Star?" Arizona smirked.

"I play the guitar during the special shows," Rock Star smiled.

"Oh yeah?" Arizona asked in surprise," When's that?"

"Every other Friday at nine," the dancer replied and slowly got off Arizona's lap when the song ended.

"So… next Friday?" Arizona asked as she handed Rock Star her payment.

"Next Friday," she confirmed and placed the bill in her little bag before taking out her towel and wiping her face and neck.

"Alright, thanks." Arizona smiled and stood from her chair.

Rock Star gave her a small smile and guided her out of the little room. "Any time, Dimples."

000

The next Friday, Arizona sat a table, unable to get her usual front seat in the crowded club. With her drink in hand, she watched the show, patiently waiting for the guitar player. And eventually, the lights dimmed down and the spot light came on. The curtain opened and the silhouette of a woman was lighted on the stage. The shadow picked up her guitar and the white curtain dropped to reveal Rock Star in sparkly lingerie.

The men began to howl and the woman played the strings on her instrument. She made her guitar cry the notes, and Arizona was stunned.

Rock Star played the intro and soon the band took over and more dancers joined her on stage. In a blink of an eye, she disappeared into the background and Arizona noticed that she was no longer there. Her job was simply to introduce the routine.

After the show, the club died down. All who remained were the regulars who came for the last round of drinks and dances for the night.

Arizona sat patiently with her drink, waiting for the dancer. She was just about to go home when she spotted the woman from the corner of her eye. She met her eyes and subtly lifted her hand to signal her, when she saw the woman sigh.

Rock Star took a deep breath and made her way to her client. "Come on…" she said with a hint of disappointment.

"Are you off now?" Arizona asked before she stood up.

"I've been off since half-past, but I'll take you before I leave.'

"Oh… you don't have to," Arizona said shyly.

"It's fine, you're already here." Rock Star offered her hand and lead Arizona to her room.

Arizona took the seat and waited for the dancer to straddle her thighs when the music played. The dancer did her routine and Arizona ran her hands up and down her thighs as she gazed up at her. She waited to see if she would make eye contact, but Rock Star looked anywhere but her piercing blue eyes.

000

Arizona's Friday nights changed dramatically. Over the next few weeks, she soon became Rock Star's Friday 'regular'. When she walked in, it didn't take long for the night dancer to find her, and some nights she would get more than one private session. She was hooked. In a way, her time with the dancer was her escape from the lonely reality outside the club.

"What's your real name?" Arizona asked one night during a session.

"I don't get personal with my clients," was a ragged reply as the dancer went through her routine.

"Even your regulars?" Arizona gave her an innocent smile.

"Even my regulars," the dancer chuckled.

Arizona brought her hands up the dancer's sides and swiped her thumbs across the bottom of her breast. "Just your first name…" she smiled when the dancer reacted to her touch, "I won't tell."

"Callie…" the dancer replied and Arizona cupped her boobs in return.

"Callie…" Arizona breathed out and kneaded the soft skin.

"P-please don't call me that," Callie stuttered as the woman's touch sent shivers to her center, "Not in here."

"Okay," Arizona replied and brought her hands back to the woman's hips. "Can I call you that outside of here?"

"Yes…" Callie continued to dance and met Arizona's eyes for the very first time during her routine, "but I don't get personal with my clients."

000

Arizona sat at her usual seat, waiting for Callie to pick her up for their usual Friday night session. Half way through her second drink, she glanced at her watch and realized how the time had been passing by.

"Excuse me," she called one of the dancers.

"Hey honey, want a dance?" she asked.

"Not tonight, sorry… I was going to ask if Rock Star was working tonight."

"Oh, you're her regular…" the woman recognized her. "She should be here. She was freshening up a moment ago."

"Alright, thanks." Arizona patiently sat at the table and waited. As she finished her second drink however, her bladder called her attention and she stood up with a sigh to head to the ladies room.

000

Finishing her business and pulling her pants back up her legs, Arizona heard the main door open and close again. Stepping out of the stall and washing her hands at the sink, she sees the woman next to her through the mirror.

"Callie?"

Callie wiped her cheeks and lifted her gaze to meet the woman's eyes. "Hey… um, please don't-"

"Call you that here… sorry," Arizona corrected herself. "Are you alright?" she asked when she noticed the redness in the woman's eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Callie masked a smile. "I'll be out in a minute to bring you to the room."

"You don't have to take me tonight if you don't want to," Arizona offered. Callie gave her a questioning look and she elaborated, "It's just, you look upset… and if you need time off, I understand."

Callie shook her head and glanced up at the ceiling to hold back her tears. "No… I'll take you."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"Arizona crossed her arms and took a step closer to the dancer.

"I don't get-"

"Personal with your client's, I know." Arizona gave her a small smile. "But am I still your client in the bathroom?"

Callie gave her a sad yet relieved half-smile and she sucked in a breath. She turned around and leaned back to rest her weight against the sink. "I guess not..."

"So what happened?" Arizona lowered her head to meet the teary brown eyes.

"I'm just…" Callie couldn't help but chuckle, "just having a breakdown."

"Ah… life and its lemons," Arizona joked lightly. "We all have our moments."

Callie bit her bottom lip and smiled. Gazing up at the woman, she saw something in her eyes she hadn't seen in a while- someone who cared. "Thanks," she took a deep breath and wiped her eye bags to clean her mascara. "I'm sorry," she started to laugh quietly. "I didn't mean for you to see me like this."

"You're still stunning," Arizona raised her eyebrows and nodded her head once.

Callie felt her cheeks blush and she pushed herself off the bathroom ledge. "Let's give you your dance."

Callie led them back to the private room and Arizona sat on her seat before Callie straddled her hips. A slow song started to play and Callie slowly grinded her hips against Arizona's lap to the music. She moved gently and Arizona noticed Callie's eyes on her as she danced.

"You're beautiful," Arizona barely whispered.

Callie had gotten the compliment many times before. And though it always bounced off of her, there was something about this time that made her believe it.

Arizona gazed up at the dancer and brought her hands up to her waist. In the weeks she'd been coming to see Callie, tonight's session was significantly different. Callie watched her as she danced, and she intimately grinded against her thigh. She could see something in Callie's eyes she couldn't explain and Arizona brought her hands behind Callie's neck. Callie closed her eyes as she moved to the song and Arizona automatically brought her down for a kiss.

It was only after their soft lips were pressed and their hot breaths mixed, that she realized Callie accepted her kiss.

"I'm sorry…" Callie nervously apologized, knowing she crossed her set boundary with a client.

"Don't be," Arizona kissed her again. She had never done that before, kiss someone she barely knew, but lost in the moment, she got what she came for. A break from her outside world. And secretly, Callie felt the same way too.

The song ended but the two kept their lips together. The music faded into the next song and Arizona placed her hands on Callie's hips to bring her down to sit on her lap. The kiss deepened and Callie unconsciously grinded against Arizona's thigh. She knew they should stop, but Arizona felt too good to let go. She could feel her arousal build between her legs, and she knew her g-string was not going to be enough of a barrier.

"I'm… I'm gonna ruin your pants," she mumbled against Arizona's lips.

The words sunk into Arizona's mind and it simply made her libido rise. "I don't care," she guided Callie's hips to move against her jeans.

"Huh-" Callie shot forward and moaned against the woman's mouth. "We… we sh-should…" before she could stop herself, she felt the familiar build up in her core.

Arizona felt Callie's abs tense and she smoothed her hands up and down her legs. She massaged Callie's thighs and moaned when she felt the heat against her jeans.

"OH, HMM…" Callie's hands grasped Arizona's shoulders and broke the kiss. Her eyes shut and her mouth opened in a silent cry as her body climaxed. Arizona watched the dancer come undone. Callie's thighs closed in on her legs and the dancer involuntarily pulsed above her. "Fuck…" Callie collapsed against the woman and caught her breath.

"That was… sooo hot," Arizona chuckled and traced her finger across Callie's collar bone before brushing her hair back and behind her neck.

"That's never happened before," Callie lifted her head from the woman's shoulder and blushed.

"Well, you definitely made your mark," Arizona teased and glanced down at her pants.

"Oh god," Callie quickly got up and reached for the towel in her bag. "I'm sorry…" she began wiping Arizona's pants but the woman stopped her.

"It's fine… I'll wash them." Arizona smirked and lifted the dancer's chin. "Here…" she pulled her wallet out of her jacket pocket and started digging for cash.

"Shouldn't I pay you for this?" Callie teased.

"You should," Arizona played along, "but I owe you more for the show you just gave me." She handed the dancer three songs worth of money.

"Wow… thanks," Callie folded the bills and placed them in her little bag.

"I'll see you again next Friday?" Arizona asked as if she needed to.

Callie nodded her head and straightened her back when Arizona stood up. Before she could walk her back into the main crowd, she stopped at the curtain.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Arizona nodded her head.

"What's _your_ name?"

A small smile formed in the corner of her lips, "Arizona."

000

As soon as Callie closed the black curtain, their lips were on each other. Ever since the Friday they first kissed, their usual sessions escalated to a lap dance and make out session. With the occasional climax from Callie. Arizona never let Callie reciprocate and they both took it as part of the routine now. Arizona was now paying to watch Callie come, and part of her wondered if she was the only regular who got this special show.

Arizona began paying Callie a little more each time, and Callie took it as a tip for her special finale. But in all honesty, she needed the money too. That's what she was here for, the quick cash.

"Can I ask you a question?" Arizona asked after one session.

"You know my rules…" Callie countered.

"I know, but this is work-related," Arizona defended. Callie nodded her head and Arizona continued, "Do you do this with your other regulars?"

Callie's face expressed shock and she shook her head, "No."

"So that makes me pretty special, huh?" Arizona teased.

"I guess…" Callie played along and hopped off her client before gently pinching her cheek.

"That's it for tonight?" Arizona naturally asked, noticing their slightly shortened session.

"Uh, yeah… I'm leaving early tonight." Callie began wiping her forehead.

"Oh…" Arizona said with a little disappointment.

"There's a girl named Coleen who's covering my shift the rest of the night. I don't think she'll go as far as I do with you, but she's a sweet girl." Callie offered.

"Um… it's okay, I think I'll go too." Arizona stood up and handed Callie her payment. "Where are you off to?" Callie gave her a look and Arizona inhaled through her mouth, "Right... my bad. No getting personal with clients."

"It's okay," Callie smiled and pulled back the black curtain.

"Rock Star…" Arizona was careful to use Callie's club name before she walked out of the room.

"Yes, Dimples?" Callie replied with a smirk.

"Will I ever see you outside of this place?" Arizona asked. They have been seeing each other for a couple of months now and part of her wondered if that's all this was going to be.

"You… you want to see me outside of here?" Callie asked in surprise. She never had someone that wanted her to be more than a Friday night show.

"Why not?" Arizona adorably shrugged her shoulders.

Callie thought for a moment and pursed her lips. "I don't usually see clients on the outside…" she started.

"But I'm special, right?" Arizona arched her eyebrow.

Callie laughed and cocked her head to the side. It couldn't hurt, right? "Alright… I'm going to get dressed. Meet me at the side doors in ten minutes."

Arizona grinned brightly and nodded her head, "Okay!"

000

Arizona leaned against the wall beside the side doors of the club and waited for Callie to come out. When she saw the tall brunette walk out in a pair of mom jeans, and aged leather jacket, she couldn't help but do a double take.

"Not what you expected?" Callie teased.

"No… it's… I wasn't expecting anything, really…" Arizona confessed.

"I guess that's good," Callie simply shrugged her shoulders.

"So where are we going?" Arizona asked.

"I was gonna go home…" Callie playfully rolled her eyes. "You're the one who wanted to meet me outside so… I'm here."

"I guess it's on me, huh?" Arizona smiled and thought for a moment. "Do you wanna grab some dinner?"

"You're asking me out to dinner already?" Callie teased. "Well, alright!" she laughed lightly.

"Well, I've already seen you topless…" Arizona playfully winked and Callie couldn't help but smile. "Come on…" Arizona offered her hand and Callie more than willingly accepted it.

There wasn't much open at this time of the night, but they were able to score an open pizza parlor, just down the block from the club. And after they ordered their individual slices, they sat at the window table of the empty restaurant.

"So what do you do in real life?" Callie finally asked.

"I'm a doctor," Arizona pursed her lips and nodded her head.

"Oh… that's… wow." Callie released a breath and took a sip of her drink.

"What about you?" Arizona asked. "I mean, is it just the club?"

"I work a diner on weekdays. I only work at the club on Fridays."

"Oh… that's pretty cool."

"Not as cool as being a doctor," Callie teased.

"Right," Arizona played along with a cocky smile, which made Callie to chuckle.

"So is there a mister... or misses at home?" Arizona asked casually.

"You just get to the point, don't ya doc?" Callie laughed and took a bite of her pizza while she pretended to think. "No… there's no one. What about you?"

"No…" Arizona said under her breath and slightly shook her head.

"I guess that's a good thing right?" Callie arched her eyebrow. "I think we'd be in pretty big trouble if they found out what we've been doing behind those black curtains."

Arizona's jaw dropped slightly and she turned beet red. For a split second, she forgot what Callie was to her moments ago. Ever since they walked into the restaurant, she felt like they were two colleagues getting to know each other. Callie right now was just nowhere near Rock Star at the club.

"Are you still breathing?" Callie joked with a bit of concern.

"Yeah… sorry," Arizona shook her head. "My cheeks are red, aren't they?"

"As red as a tomato!"

"Oh gosh," Arizona quickly brought her hands to her face.

"It's cute," Callie reassured with a small smile.

000

Callie held the door open and let Arizona out before heading back towards the club.

"So where are you parked?" Arizona asked, hoping to walk Callie to her car.

"I was, uh… I was actually going to catch the night bus," Callie replied hesitantly. She had never felt conscious about not driving a car but for some reason she did tonight.

"Oh… do you wanna share a cab?" Arizona offered.

Callie tilted her head to the side and scrunched her face, "Nah… I'll be fine."

"Come on, I'll drop you off."

"You barely know me..." Callie countered with a snort, "and I barely know you."

"Fine…" Arizona playfully huffed, "I'll wait for the bus with you."

"You don't have do that either."

"Am I that boring?" Arizona gasped.

"No, you're not," Callie rolled her eyes and smiled out of the corner of her mouth. "Alright, fine, wait with me…"

Arizona smiled and let the woman lead her to the bus shelter around the corner. They sat on the bench and watched a few cars go by.

"So can I see you more outside the club?" Arizona finally asked.

"You want to see me more outside the club?" Callie countered.

"I do," Arizona answered honestly. "If you're up for it… I'd like to take you out to dinner... um, real dinner. Unless you want pizza again… which could work too."

Callie cocked her head to the side and watched Arizona's features as she thought carefully. Her client, a doctor, was really asking her out to dinner. "Maybe…"

"Maybe?" Arizona questioned.

"I want be sure it's not the alcohol talking…" Callie took a pen out of her bag and clicked the top, "give me your hand." Arizona offered her hand and Callie placed it in hers, "So here's my number. If you still want to ask me out when you wake up in the morning… call me."

"But I'm not drunk," Arizona defended and read the numbers on her hand.

"No… but you drank quite a bit at the club. I just want to make sure you're sure about this."

"Why wouldn't I be sure about this?" Arizona furrowed her brows.

"You're asking your stripper out, Arizona…" Callie chuckled and stood up as she saw her bus approaching.

Arizona stood up and followed her, "So…"

"I just want to make sure." Callie got her bus tokens out of her purse as the bus came closer. "Safe travels… good night," she kissed Arizona's cheek and boarded the bus.

Arizona sighed as she watched the bus drive away. She glanced back at the numbers on her hand and let her mind race. She thought hard about her decision and then took a cab home.

000

Callie woke up to the sound of her phone vibrating on her dresser. Groaning when she noticed it was barely noon, she picked up the phone.

"What do you want?"

"Good morning… Callie?"

"Yeah?" Callie dropped her head back against the pillow.

"It's Arizona…"

"Arizona?" Callie's head shot up again.

"Yeah… are you free tonight?"

Callie's face froze into a joyful grin, "Uh… yeah."


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: All copyrighted material belongs to their respective owners. This is a work of fiction. This is not for profit. No infringement intended.

~author's note~ more to come! Just hold tight, alright? :P

Chapter 3

Callie didn't realize she was smiling as she watched Arizona read through the menu. It was only when the doctor lifted her gaze and smiled back at her that she realized the state her face was frozen in. She couldn't stop smiling even if she tried. She knew the woman was cute, to say the least, from the dim lights of the club. But Arizona was even more beautiful in the light.

"So what's your pick?" Arizona asked with an adorable smile.

"Oh, uh…" Callie dragged her eyes down towards her menu, "the chicken piccata looks good."

"Yeah? No way, I was just about to point it out!" Arizona said in surprise.

"I guess you have great taste too," Callie teased.

"Nah, I just have a thing for chicken," Arizona shyly bit her bottom lip.

"Then I hope it doesn't disappoint." Callie placed her menu back on the side of the table.

"I guess we'll both find out," Arizona flipped to the back of her menu where they listed the beverages. "Are you drinking this evening?"

"No…" Callie shook her head.

"Are you working?" Arizona asked.

"Nope, I… I don't drink."

"Really?" Arizona glanced up at the other woman in surprise.

"Yeah…" Callie glanced around them awkwardly, "it's a personal choice."

"I guess that's good," Arizona nodded her head in agreement. She had to admit she was a little curious why Callie made that choice, but she didn't let the thought linger in her mind for too long. "So we'll have… apple juice?"

"You can drink," Callie reassured with a small smile, "I'll have a ginger ale."

"Do you live with your parents or something?" Arizona asked jokingly.

"No, I live with a roommate," Callie chuckled softly, "It's just… I got into a car accident two years ago because of a drunk driver… I don't touch the stuff."

"Oh…" Arizona released a breath, "I'm sorry… now I feel like an ass."

"It's okay," Callie placed her hand on the one Arizona had on the table to reassure her.

Arizona gave her an appreciative smile and continued their conversation on the menu in front of them.

The waiter soon came to take their orders, and when their food was served, Arizona lifted her glass of ginger ale.

"Really?" Callie chuckled but lifted her glass as well.

"We can still toast non-alcoholic drinks," Arizona smiled.

"And what are we toasting to?"

Arizona thought for a moment. "Getting personal with special clients," she quickly tapped their glasses and brought her glass to her lips.

Callie's mouth broke into a smile and she chuckled internally when it dawned on her that she was, in fact, getting personal with one of her clients. And so far it had been great, so she toasted to it.

They ate their meals while they talked about the basics. Their home towns, places they've lived in, the usual background information they were willing to share on a first date. Eventually, they drifted onto the topic of Arizona's work and she may have drifted too far into it.

"Then I had a neuroblastoma on a six month old…" Arizona stopped in the middle of her story when she read the confused look on Callie's face. "It's a… never mind. Anyways, that's my boring story."

"That wasn't boring at all," Callie reassured. To be honest, Arizona was cute when she started rambling medical stuff.

"It was, but you're too nice to admit it…" Arizona took another bite of her meal. "How was your day?"

"Well, I spent the day at home with my... roommate." Callie cleared her throat.

"Must be nice working nights and getting to sleep in," Arizona teased. "I've been up since 5 this morning!"

"I guess that's how it is when sick people need you 24/7."

"It is… but it's rewarding." Arizona took a tip of her drink and broke the silence that followed before it could get awkward. "So is Callie short for something?"

"Uh, yeah…" Callie looked anywhere but Arizona's eyes.

"Well… what is it short for?" Arizona urged her to continue.

"Calliope…" Callie said softly.

"Calliope…" Arizona repeated. "I like it, why don't you use it more often?"

Callie smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "You try being the tough kid on the playground with a name like Calliope."

"Hmm… you're right, it's too classy," Arizona teased. "I guess Arizona worked in my favour when I was a kid."

"You were a tough kid?" Callie snorted.

"Oh, don't let the perkiness fool you, you didn't argue with me when it came to playground games."

Both women chuckled and it died down to comfortable silence.

"So how was your food?" Arizona asked.

"You had the exact same thing," Callie laughed.

"I know… but how did _you_ find it?"

"Well I can't lie… I just paid twenty bucks for a piece of chicken I could've made better myself."

"You can make it better than this?" Arizona asked in surprise. She thought her meal was pretty great to begin with.

"I'm pretty confident I can… I mean, their sauce is alright, but their chicken's a little dry. I don't think they marinate them overnight."

"Mmm… that does sound like it would taste better," Arizona pictured.

"Maybe I'll cook for you next time." Callie smiled.

Arizona's face brightened into a smile when Callie mentioned the possibility of a 'next time'. "Yeah… I'd like that."

000

Callie didn't cook on their second date. There was a Midway Fair in town for a few days, and after Callie saw the excitement in Arizona's face, they decided to play a few games instead of having dinner again.

"I bet you a stuffed teddy bear that I can win you a stuffed teddy bear," Arizona finished the last bit of her candy apple and nodded towards the shooting game.

Callie licked the cotton candy from her fingers and arched her eyebrow, "You can shoot?"

"It's been a while…" Arizona tossed her stick in the trash and headed towards the tent with Callie's hand in hers, "but I think I still have it!" She dug into her jacket for cash and handed the man her pay for one game. "Okay, let's see…" she picked up the gun and rested the end on her shoulder before adorably closing one eye and aiming.

Callie watched Arizona concentrate so hard she swore she could hear her brain calculate the velocity of the bullet and the exact times the ducks popped up from behind the blue board.

"Three…" Arizona whispered, "two… one."

The next thing Callie knew, she heard four consecutive shots and all the animals on the board were knocked down.

"Yay!" Arizona dropped her gun on the ledge and victoriously lifted both of her hands.

"Here you go…" the man handed her the stuffed animal.

"And I owe you… a stuffed teddy bear," Arizona smiled and passed it onto Callie.

"That was… wow, thanks!" Callie chuckled and cradled the toy in her arm. "How'd ya learn to shoot like that?" she asked curiously.

"My dad was in the military…" Arizona smiled and linked their arms as they wandered around the fun fair. She had to admit it was a great place to just let loose, eat junk food, and have a little fun on their second date. And to be honest, she couldn't remember the last time she got to have this much fun.

Running on almost pure sugar, the two of them screamed and laughed on the carnival rides until their stomachs couldn't take anymore. Their evening was like a teenage love story, straight out of the movies, and neither of them could complain about it.

Walking to the edge of the fair, they were drawn to an area where entertainers were giving their nightly show. A crowd had already formed around the acrobats, and the two of them found it challenging to see over them.

"Can you see?" Callie shifted from left to right until she got a better view.

"Not at all," Arizona went up on her tip toes and laughed when, even on the balls of her feet, she was still about an inch shorter than her date.

"Come here," Callie positioned herself in front of Arizona and crouched down a little with her hands behind her.

"Are you serious?" Arizona giggled shyly.

"Yes I'm serious, hop on!" Callie smiled back at the woman and then took a deep breath to prepare herself.

Arizona placed her arms on Callie's shoulders and laughed when she gently jumped onto the woman's back. "Calliope!" she screamed when Callie suddenly leaned forward to reposition her on her back; which only caused Arizona to wrap her arms around Callie's chest even tighter.

"Better?" Callie snorted.

"Yes, thank you," Arizona smiled and kissed Callie's temple.

They watched the acrobats flip and bend in all different directions. Callie held Arizona for the most part, but as time went by, Arizona could feel her date begin to slouch. Not wanting to put more stress on Callie's spine, she asked to be put down and settled for a less-visible view with Callie's arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"I love this song," Callie smiled and bobbed her head to the beat of the new song.

Arizona tilted her head to the side and watched the woman in front of her, "Do you wanna dance?"

"Don't I usually ask that question?" Callie slightly arched her eyebrow with a smirk.

"I thought I'd give it a shot," Arizona smiled and took the woman's free hand.

"Haha, here?" Callie nervously glanced around them.

"Why not?" Arizona laughed and started swaying her hips.

Callie smiled and joined her, despite the fear of sticking out from the crowd. With the stuffed animal still in one hand, she moved her hips to the song and followed Arizona's lead.

"Oh wait…" Arizona froze with her hands up in the air as the music slowed down.

"And here… it… comes…" Callie laughed and jumped as the song picked up again.

Arizona crossed her writs over her head and side-jumped towards Callie. Callie placed a hand on Arizona's hip and shimmied to the side as they danced to the music. Arizona then twirled around face Callie, and smiled when Callie danced towards her. They danced back and forth, and jumped around, until the song faded and they came face to face. As they caught their breath, a small smile formed on Callie's mouth, and Arizona stepped in to kiss her lips.

000

Over the next few days, the two tried to spend more nights together. Though it was the week Arizona had to work the graveyard shift, Callie's texts got her thought the long nights. And on some occasions, Arizona had to brush off curious glances from staff members as she giggled at their text messages like a little girl. She was falling, and she knew it.

"So… fifth date tonight…" Teddy wiggled her eyebrow as they got their coffee from the cart one morning. "Where'd you meet her again?"

"Uh… at a bar," Arizona chose not to explain further.

"I'm just a girl at a bar- kinda thing?" Teddy teased.

"No…" Arizona rolled her eyes, "I haven't taken her home for… activities, yet."

Teddy laughed and walked with her best friend down the hospital hallway. "Well, whoever she is, she's not sleeping much tonight."

"TEDDY!" Arizona playfully slapped her best friend's elbow. "We'll get there when we're ready."

"What are you, sixteen?" Teddy teased until she read the look on Arizona's face, "Oh… you're serious."

"I just don't want to rush it," Arizona admitted. "The past few days have been so… easy. Comfortable… she's just… I can't explain it. I really like spending time with her, even if we're not doing… adult things."

"Don't fall too hard, honey… it's been two weeks." Teddy reminded.

"I know… which is scary! It's like I haven't learned my lesson the last two times." Arizona sighed and took a sip of her coffee.

"Third time's a charm, right?" Teddy tried to comfort her best friend. "What makes her different, you think?"

"Well she's sweet… and gentle… and kind… and not attached to this hospital, so she can't bruise my reputation anymore that it's already been," Arizona rolled her eyes.

"So you're really starting fresh," Teddy smiled. "That's good… except for the fact that you've been extra perky these days, everyone around you wants to throw up."

"What?" Arizona laughed nervously as she felt her cheeks blush.

"I didn't say anything," Teddy chuckled, "but everyone's been asking about the mystery woman who's brought back Dr. McAwesome."

000

Arizona was already seated at the reserved table when the usher led Callie to her seat. She was aware this was their fifth date and that Arizona suggested a fancier place because of it.

"Thanks," Callie said as she sat down and the man took her leather jacket. "You look…" she smiled when she noticed Arizona in a cute blue top.

"You look…" Arizona copied Callie's speechlessness but added a wink at the end of her words, which caused Callie to blush.

"I don't think I've worn this in years," Callie laughed nervously and looked down at the grey dress shirt that she buttoned low enough to show a little cleavage.

"You should wear it more often," Arizona teased and then opened her menu. As the two of them read through the selections, Callie couldn't help but feel out a little out of place. The place was very enchanting, and though she wasn't much of a romantic, Arizona taking her here scared her a little. They were getting serious and she couldn't help but be cautious after how her past relationships had turned out.

"So what will you have?" Arizona asked.

"Uh…" Callie glanced at the prices that were as grand as the restaurant. "I think I'll have the salad." She replied, not bothering to looking at the main entrées.

"Oh… okay," Arizona creased her forehead and continued to go through the menu, "I guess I'll have the coq au vin."

They ordered their meals and Arizona tried to keep the conversation alive. She did notice Callie was distant, but she tried not to focus on it.

"Long day at work today…?" Arizona finally asked.

"No," Callie forced herself to give a reassuring smile. "So you had a kid with an artificial lung?" she quickly diverted the conversation, and was thankful when Arizona didn't push on.

Dinner topics were kept light and by the end of the meal, Arizona was convinced Callie was going to end this fling.

"Do you want to get dessert somewhere else?" Arizona asked hopefully as they finished the last of their dinner.

Callie took a look at her watch and swallowed the lump in her throat, "I can't stay out late tonight… I'm sorry."

"Oh… that's alright."

"Maybe next time…?" Callie began digging through her purse to pay for her half of the bill.

"For sure," Arizona tried not to show her disappointment and nervousness. She heard 'next time' which meant Callie wasn't going to end them. But there was also a 'maybe' in there, which worried her a little. "Don't worry about it, Calliope." Arizona took her credit card and slipped it in the leather pouch.

"Are you sure?" Callie glanced up from her bag.

"Positive," Arizona paid for their meals and watched Callie fiddle her thumbs insecurely.

"Thanks," Callie sighed quietly as the waitress walked away.

"Any time… I can drive you home tonight," Arizona offered. She wasn't sure what was up with her date tonight, but she wanted to reassure her that they could talk about it.

"It's alright. The busses run frequently at this time," Callie answered shyly.

"Don't be ridiculous… let me take you home at least." Arizona smiled.

"You don't have to…"

"Did you really have _that_ much of a crappy time with me?" Arizona countered.

"No… but…" Callie took a deep breath, still unable to look Arizona in the eye.

"Come on, I'll give you a ride. You don't live as far as Portland, right?"

"No…" Callie shook her head and finally met Arizona's eyes, "I live on the other end of town."

"Then it's not a problem."

000

"Is this it?" Arizona parked on the side of the street beside a small apartment building.

"Yeah…" Callie breathed out. "Thanks for tonight…"

"Not a problem…" Arizona rested her head on the headrest and looked at the woman beside her. "I'd say call me, but I don't think you're going to," she said boldly. Callie looked surprised and Arizona elaborated. "I mean… you're ending this, right?"

"You still want me to call you?" Callie ignored Arizona's question.

"Well yeah… if you still want to keep going…"

"Of course I want to keep going, Arizona…" Callie sighed, "But are you still sure about this?"

"We've had an amazing few weeks, why wouldn't I be sure about this?"

"I don't know," Callie lowered her head, "I mean, you're successful, and I'm…"

"Are we back on the night club thing? Callie, I told you I don't mind."

"I know… but we're from opposite ends of the spectrum."

"What spectrum, Calliope? Where is this coming from?" Arizona unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to fully face the other woman. "Sure, we're not your typical couple… but that's what I like about you. You're the most down-to-earth person I know."

A small smiled formed on Callie's lips and she inhaled deeply through her nose. The doctor really wanted this and she couldn't help but feel a little insecure. If the stripper thing didn't scare people off by the third date, it was what she had at home that did. So she thought for a moment, and came to a conclusion that it was about time Arizona knew more about her before they took this any further.

"Okay," Callie released a breath. "Do you wanna come up for some cake?"

"That would be nice," Arizona smiled.

000

Arizona walked into the small apartment behind Callie. On one wall, a red couch took up the entire width of the room, and on the other end, a fridge, oven, and sink made the open kitchen. In the middle of the tight space, a table with two chairs took residence.

"It's not much…" Callie pointed out as the other woman scanned the small space.

"It's cozy," Arizona smiled.

"You're lucky I cleaned up this morning, my roommate's a slob." Callie laughed quietly and offered the other woman a seat at the table. Arizona sat down silently and wondered how two people could live in the space. "It was her birthday yesterday…" Callie went into the fridge to get the cake out.

"Happy Bir… Cris…" Arizona read the icing on the remaining cake.

"Cristina," Callie began cutting their slices, "I think I ate the 'tina' part of her cake." She took two saucers from the cupboard and then sat at the table to join the other woman.

Arizona picked up her fork and took a bite, "Oh- mmm," she took another generous mouthful. "That is really good!"

"I made it," Callie smiled.

"Yeah?" Arizona looked up with icing still on her mouth. "I think I'm in love…"

"I think you just want me for my cake," Callie winked and laughed as she took a napkin to wipe Arizona's mouth.

"Oh gosh, that's embarrassing," Arizona blushed when Callie cleaned her face. "How'd you learn to make cake like this?"

"You just follow the instructions on the box," Callie laughed.

"This is instant cake?" Arizona asked in surprise.

"Yes… but I add my own secret ingredient."

"Which is…"

"A teaspoon of cocaine."

Arizona's eyebrows shot up and Callie started laughing out loud.

"Please tell me you didn't believe that for a second," Callie joked with a bit of concern.

"Okay, I believed it for half a second," Arizona said honestly, and the two women started laughing. "There it is," she pointed out as Callie's laugh faded into a smile.

"What?" Callie took another bite of her cake.

"That smile… I've been waiting to see it all night."

Callie blushed and put her fork down. "I'm sorry…"

"What for?" Arizona placed her hand on the one Callie had on the small table.

"I wasn't myself tonight," Callie shook her head a little to clear her thoughts.

"I know… and it's alright. We step out of our heads from time to time."

Callie gratefully smiled at the woman's understanding and. "Arizona, before we take this any further…" she took a deep breath.

"Which I think would be awesome if we did," Arizona cut in.

Callie smiled nervously but her face faded into a more serious form. "I think you should know more about me."

"Well go on…" Arizona pushed gently when Callie paused.

"Arizona… there's someone I want you to meet." Callie slowly stood up from her chair and headed towards one of the doors. Arizona suppressed her thoughts and watched carefully as Callie knocked on the wood.

"Cristina?" Callie called quietly.

"It's unlocked," a voice sleepy replied.

Callie opened the door and stepped into the room. Arizona heard sheets being tossed, and after a moment, Callie came out with a toddler on her hip.

"Um, Arizona…" Callie cradled the child in her arm, "this is Sofia." She lifted the child's chin and smiled, "Say hi, mija."

"Hi…" the two year old open and close her first repeatedly.

"Hi," Arizona smiled to hide her now racing mind. The child was a carbon copy of her mother.

Callie sat back down on the chair and placed Sofia on her lap. "I know I shouldn't be doing this, but…" she took her spoon and fed a bit of her cake to her child.

"AH!" Sofia laughed and darted her tongue out to lick the sweet treat on her lips.

"She's not going to sleep now…" Arizona smiled at the adorable child in front of her.

"It's okay; I don't work until tomorrow afternoon." Callie kissed her daughter's head and watched Arizona carefully. The woman was watching Sofia eat and the look on her face was hard to read. "This little one is why I have to be home early…" she said carefully, "Cristina watches her until her midnight shift starts."

Arizona lifted her gaze from Sofia to Callie, "She's adorable. She looks just like you."

"Thank you," Callie smiled.

"Mama…" Sofia looked up at her mother. "Meh mum maah…" she babbled and pointed at Arizona.

"That's Arizona," Callie explained. Sofia knit her brows and eyed Arizona suspiciously.

"Nice to meet you, Sofia…" Arizona smiled but the toddler continued to give her a firm look.

Callie read the worried look in on Arizona's face and laughed quietly, "Don't worry; she's just warming up to you."

"That's okay, it's good not to trust strangers at first… right?"

"Right," Callie smiled and continued to feed her daughter. "So do you like kids?"

Arizona simply nodded her head. She knew why Callie is asking, and she prayed that they wouldn't go too deep into that topic tonight. "Yeah, I'm a pediatric surgeon."

"So you're a lot more than a doctor…"

"Well… I'm a doctor who does surgeries on little people."

"Maybe that's why she's giving you the eye," Callie joked lightly.

"She's seen a lot of surgeons?"

"A few… I was 23 weeks pregnant when we got into the car accident." Callie unconsciously held her daughter closer to her as the memory replayed itself in her head. "But she was a little fighter… my one pound, one ounce, fighter."

"And she's healthy now," Arizona read the look on Callie's face and chose not to let her explain any further. "That's all that matters, right?"

Callie nodded her head, "Yeah… we're both healthy." She gave her a reassuring smile and fed Sofia another nibble of cake.

"So Sofia here likes cake? I know the best place by the hospital…" Arizona began to talk about great cake bakeries she had discovered. And for the rest of the night they kept the conversation on anything but the big secret Callie just revealed.

000

"She has a kid, Teddy… and I don't even think she likes me very much." Arizona held on to her coffee cup so tight she thought the paper cup would crush in her hand.

"So third time isn't a charm…"

"I don't know… I don't know what to do!"

"Just… tell her the truth?" Teddy suggested.

"How bad is that?" Arizona huffed, "Hey Callie, I know the past few weeks have been nothing but amazing, but now that I know you have a daughter, I'm not interested anymore..." she said in a dopey voice.

"Then delete her number and bail. I mean, she lives on the edge of town, the chance of you running into her again is pretty slim."

"That's your advice- bail?" Arizona snapped, but considered it for a moment.

"I don't know, you're asking Attachment Barbie here. You know I suck at relationship advice, what do you want me to say?" Teddy surrendered.

"I don't know, sorry... I was just… crap," Arizona breathed out and ran her fingers through her hair. "I just thought, for a moment, that I finally found someone."


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: All copyrighted material belongs to their respective owners. This is a work of fiction. This is not for profit. No infringement intended.

~author's note~ A little steamy near the end as requested ;) A few more chapters to come! Please bear with me and my busy work schedule. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 4

Arizona lay back against her pillow and stared up at her bedroom ceiling. She hadn't spoken to Callie all day. Not that her busy work day allowed much socializing, but she needed time to contemplate Teddy's advice. Should she bail? A large part of her said yes. She worked hard to get where she was today. All the sweat, tears, and sleepless nights that she spent in med school all lead up to where she was now. She dreamt of becoming a surgeon since she was a kid herself, and she finally did it. She was right where she wanted to be, and she was great at what she did. She couldn't be bothered with having children of her own at the peak of her medical career, and she did not see herself to be cut out for motherhood. She liked children, sure, but having her own would just slow her down. She was head of her department and she was passionately driven to move the medical world forward. Research and developing new surgical techniques were what made her tick. Not pushing strollers and raising a family.

Yet with her successful career, and her large apartment, she looked around the empty space and wrapped herself in her blanket as she slept alone.

On the other end of town, Callie sat on her couch with a sippy cup in her hand and her daughter in her arms. Giving Sofia her milk, she checked her phone one last time. She hadn't heard from Arizona since the doctor was over for cake last night, and she knew she was stupid for letting herself believe that, for once, someone was going to stay. Tossing her phone on the other end of the couch, she held the cup at Sofia's mouth and kissed her baby's forehead. She wasn't proud of her night job, or how she got to where she was today, but it was just the two of them now and she did what she had to do to provide for her family.

"Oh hey, you're home." Cristina walked out of her bedroom and began rummaging through the fridge.

"Yeah," Callie continued to stroke her daughter's hair.

"Are you going out with that doctor later tonight?" the roommate placed a few items on the small table. "I don't start 'till 12 so I can watch Sofia until 11."

"No… it's just the two of us staying in tonight." Callie kept her eyes on her beautiful baby girl.

Though they rarely got personal, Cristina read the sad look on her roommate's face. Taking a deep breath, she took two plates from the cupboard and placed them on the table. "You want me to make you a peanut butter sandwich?"

Callie glanced up from her daughter and nodded her head, "yes please."

000

It was no surprise that Arizona would be paged with a 9-1-1 at 3AM the next morning. She didn't get to sleep much, as she spent half the night thinking of her decision on Callie and Sofia, but she jumped into work mode as soon as someone needed her help.

"What do we have?" Arizona entered the OR with her gloved palms up.

"Sixty-two year old female with a history of asymptomatic VSD, came in complaining of chest pain…" the nurse explained as she gowned Arizona.

"DAMN IT!" Teddy dropped her forceps onto the metal tray and quickly picked up a pair of clamps before the nurse could continue, "She has multiple aortic coarctation's… how did she go all this time without catching it?" The rapid beeping of the heart monitor began to fill the room and Teddy started to work faster. "There must be another one we haven't grafted."

"Baby's having decelerations…" Dr. Lucy Fields quickly warned as she watched the fetal monitor at the foot of the surgical table.

"Baby?" Arizona thought out loud.

"Yeah, patient's twenty-eight weeks pregnant." The nurse arched her eyebrow and nodded towards the table, urging her to get going.

"Right," Arizona quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts on the high-risk pregnancy. "Where do you want me?"

"I need you on standby," Lucy stood from her stool and began to gown up.

"We're still dropping," another scrub nurse pointed out.

"I'm working on it," Teddy moved as fast as she could, "We have a bleeder somewhere in here!"

"Systolic is down to fourty," the nurse read the mother's heart monitor again.

"Dr. Altman, you have sixty seconds to get that pressure up, or I'm taking the baby out." Lucy positioned herself by the mother's abdomen.

"We're still dropping…" the nurse warned.

"GIVE ME A MINUTE!" Teddy raised her voice in frustration.

"Thirty seconds," Lucy said firmly, not wanting to endanger the baby.

"Come on…" Teddy huffed as her hands tried to control the bleeding.

"I'm taking him out," Lucy grasped her scalpel and glanced at Teddy.

"Okay," Teddy met the OBGYN's eyes and nodded her head, knowing it was best, before quickly going back to her work.

Lucy made the cut and performed the cesarean. "Baby's cyanotic," she warned as she lifted the small body from his mother and handed him to the nurse.

Arizona was by his side as soon as the nurse placed him on the table and she quickly placed her stethoscope on his small chest. "Suction…" she ordered the nurse, "starting stimulation…" she placed her thumbs on his chest and started compressions, "ventilate."

The nurse placed the BVM on the baby's face and gave him three puffs.

"Got it!" Teddy found the bleeder and began grafting as quickly as she could.

"Is he breathing, Dr. Robbins?" Lucy called over her shoulder as she tended to the mother's abdomen.

"Come on baby boy," Arizona placed her stethoscope on his chest again. "Give me a minute… intubate." The scrub nurse handed Arizona the small tube and she placed it into the small child's throat. "Continue compression," Arizona ordered the nurse and placed her stethoscope in her ears again. "Come on little baby… push point 'o' five of epi…" Arizona waited for the nurse to administer her order and then used her stethoscope again.

"Dr. Robbins…" the scrub nurse got Arizona's attention, and she quickly looked up at the rising number on the baby's monitor.

"Baby boy's back," Arizona smiled at the scrub nurse from behind her surgical mask, and they watched the rapid rise and fall of his small chest.

"Mom's stable," Teddy glanced at the two women and released a long breath as they saved two more lives today.

000

"I'm going to check on Mrs. Irwin…" Lucy said as they got the premature baby set up in his incubator. "Mr. Irwin can see him once baby boy Irwin is set up," she added before she headed out the door.

"Alright…" Arizona did her last check up on the child and then walked to the waiting area.

"Mr. Irwin?"

"Yes?" the elderly man quickly stood from his seat and held his cane in his hand as he walked towards the surgeon.

"Baby boy Irwin is stable now. Would you like to see him?"

The man simply took a deep breath and nodded his head.

"Right this way…"

Arizona led him into the NICU and walked them over to the incubator once their pink isolation gowns were on.

"That's… that's my son?" Mr. Irwin asked in a shaky breath.

"He sure is," Arizona smiled.

"He's handsome." Mr. Irwin placed his hand on the incubator and smiled down at his baby, "Who knew I could still be a father at seventy?"

"Better late than never, right?" Arizona opened the small incubator window. "Here…" she guided the father's hand inside so he could place his finger on his son's hand.

Mr. Irwin's smile grew bigger but it soon faded and he looked up at Arizona. "You must think we're crazy for having a child at our old age," he thought out loud.

Arizona shook her head, "I think you're a miracle family."

"Miracle family," he couldn't help but sigh, "I kept telling myself the same thing… but by the time he's sixteen, my wife and I will be old folks in a retirement home." Mr. Irwin moved his finger and gently stroked he's son's cheek. "He won't have a mother to take him to soccer practices, or a father who can teach him how to kick the perfect goal… all he'll have are two grandparents he calls 'mom' and 'dad'."

Arizona released a breath and listened attentively.

"I married late…" Mr. Irwin explained with a sigh. "I was so focused on my career that I woke up the day after I retired and realized I had no one beside me." He glanced at Arizona and shrugged his shoulders, "I was turning sixty-six and I had done nothing but sell used cars to new drivers."

"Relationships aren't any easier for career-driven people like us," Arizona agreed as she spoke form experience.

"It really isn't…" the elderly shook his head, "but I got tired of it after forty-five years and I wanted to know what it was like to love someone. So I found Mariel on a dating site, and well… then this little one came along." He smiled at his child and traced his index finger down his small arm. "Can you imagine living sixty years of your life alone… thinking you didn't want a family, and realizing you though wrong just before it all ended?"

"Better late than never…" Arizona said softly. She was very familiar with living alone. She's found people along the way, women who truly loved her for who she was, but they never stayed for long. It was hard to keep a steady relationship and work long hours. She put her career first and being called in for emergencies always interrupted plans. Eventually, her partners would just leave so she ended up spending most of her time alone.

"I never wanted children." Mr. Irwin met Arizona's eyes. "Not 'till I saw his first ultrasound and I realized I was going to be a father… but I won't be much of a father when we put him up for adoption."

"Mr. Irwin…?" Arizona gasped quietly, slightly caught off guard by the man's choice.

"Do you have children, Dr. Robbins?" the man asked.

Arizona shook her head slowly, "no."

"If you did, wouldn't you want the best for them?"

"Of course…"

"Then you know it's too late for us," the elderly man released his son's hand and closed the incubator window. "He's going to have to take care of me before he even gets his driver's license. It's not fair."

Arizona took another deep breath, "You have a healthy boy, Mr. Irwin… and you and your wife will be able to enjoy a few more years with him."

"I don't want a few years with him," the man dropped his gaze onto the floor. "I don't want to watch him grow up just so I can watch him be left alone in this world."

"But he'll know he had a father…" Arizona said softly.

"I'm not his father," Mr. Irwin winced at the pain that shot through his chest. "There's a couple who wants to adopt him… those are his parents. The stable, financially secure, young couple who can raise him be an active young boy. Those are his mother and father… not brittle old me and my bedridden wife."

Arizona felt her own heart break from watching the elderly man give up his child. She didn't know what else to say, and so professionally, she respected his decision and gave him the support he needed.

000

Arizona looked at her phone as two sides of her mind fought in her head. She could walk away from the best thing that's happened to her in the past few years. Walk away from the person who brought back the happiness she had lost in her past relationships, and continue her life like nothing happened. Or she could turn her entire life around and try to work this out.

There would be other loving women, she thought. But she knew in her heart that there just wouldn't be another woman as humble as Callie.

Holding her phone by her ear, she looked at her watch to check the time. It was now six in the morning, and though she doubted someone would answer this call, she was ready to leave a voice message. She didn't want to retire one day and wake up next to someone she wasn't completely happy with, only to regret letting someone so good go.

Callie woke from her dreaming state when she heard her phone vibrate against her nightstand. Opening one eye, she saw her screen light up and pulled her sheets over her head, unbothered by who could be calling at this time.

"Hey, you've reached Callie Torres, you know what to do… *BEEP*"

"Hi, Calliope…" Arizona said nervously, "uh, sorry I didn't get to call or text earlier… I've been stuck at work. You're probably still sleeping, but I was wondering… if you weren't busy tonight… I'd like to take you out to dinner… and Sofia too… just call me back if you're up for it, okay? Um… bye."

Arizona ended the message and looked down at the phone in her hand. She wanted to leave another message, excusing the stupid-sounding one she had just left and asking more formally, but she decided not to push it and just pray that Callie would call her back.

000

By nine in the morning, Callie woke up and changed into her gray diner uniform. She got Sofia ready to be dropped off at the community day care shortly afterwards, and then headed out for another day at work. Between forcing her cranky toddler into her stockings, and packing their food for the day, she missed the chance to check her voice mail.

By three in the afternoon, Arizona checked her phone again to make sure she hadn't missed a call or simple text message. Her inbox and voice mail remained empty and she wondered if she missed the "I'll call you tomorrow" window of this complicated dating game. Slight nervousness entered her system and she mentally prepared herself for the worst.

At seven'o'clock, Callie got out of work and checked her phone as she got on her bus. After paying her fare and taking a seat, she noticed the message and brought her phone up to her ear to listen to it. She couldn't help but smile when Arizona's nervous voice played and she bit her bottom lip as she thought about the doctor's offer. Checking her phone after listening to the message, she noticed the message was left over twelve hours ago. So quickly calling back, she tapped her foot on the bus floor as she eagerly waited for the other woman to respond.

Arizona's phone vibrated on the metal tray and a scrub nurse glanced at the name that flashed on the screen.

"Callie Torres?"

Arizona's head shot up from her surgery, "Seriously?"

"Callie Torres…" the nurse repeated herself with a slight snicker. With all the rumors of the mysterious woman who brought the perky back in Dr. McAwesome, the nurse was able to put two and two together when Arizona excitedly reacted to the simple phone call.

"Um, okay, answer it…" Arizona nodded her head.

"Hello, Dr. Robbins is in surgery at the moment, Cheryl speaking."

"Hi… " Callie greeted the nurse unexpectedly. "Um, it's Callie… can you please ask her if nine 'o' clock is too late? Oh, and I'm sorry I missed her call this morning."

The scrub nurse moved the phone away from her mouth and met the surgeon's eyes, "She says sorry for missing your call and is nine too late?"

"Nine is perfect!" Arizona answered quickly.

Cheryl smirked behind her surgical mask and brought the phone back to her ear, "Dr. Robbins says nine is perfect."

"Okay, thanks!" Callie smiled, "Uh, can you ask her where she wants us to meet her?"

"She wants to know where you want them to meet you…" the scrub nurse repeated.

A concentrated crease formed on the surgeon's head as she concentrated on the surgery in front of her, and did somersaults in her head in victory. "I'll pick them up at their place."

"She'll meet you at your home," Cheryl told Callie.

"Alright, I'll see her at nine," Callie replied.

"Buh-bye," Cheryl ended the call and chuckled as she went back to assisting the surgeon.

"Shut it," Arizona blushed behind her surgical mask.

"I didn't say anything," Cheryl said teasingly.

000

Callie and Sofia sat on their comfy red couch while they waited for Arizona. Callie glanced at her phone to check the time and sighed as she watched Sofia play with her toy guitar. It was times like these that she wished they had a television. Not that she had time to watch shows on a regular basis, but listening to "The Farmer in the Dell" every time Sofia pressed the little button on the plastic guitar was going to make her go crazy any moment now.

Before she could throw the plastic toy out the window, their home phone rang and she quickly answered it.

"Hey, it's me…" Arizona spoke on the other end.

"Come up," Callie pressed the button on her phone and buzzed the woman into her apartment.

A short moment later, Arizona knocked at her door and Callie opened it with a blank look on her face.

"I'm so sorry, surgery ran late and…" Arizona glanced at her watch and released a breath when she read the time. "You have all the reasons to be mad at me right now."

"I'm not mad…"

"You're not? Because you look like you're about to give me a long lecture…"

"I'm not mad." Callie stepped aside to let the other woman into her home.

"I made you wait two hours…" Arizona winced as she walked into the apartment.

"I'm a little annoyed, but I'm not mad." Callie offered Arizona a seat and went into the kitchen to fix her up a drink. "Do you want tea or coffee?"

"Water's fine," Arizona gulped, feeling the dryness in her throat from springing down the hall. "Hey Sofia," she smiled at the toddler on the couch and then backed off when Sofia shot her the same cold glare.

Callie placed the glass of water on the table in front of the surgeon and took the seat across from her.

"I'm so sorry…" Arizona said one more time.

"Stop apologizing, it's done." Callie crossed her arms on the table.

Arizona took a generous sip of her drink and then fiddled her thumbs.

There was a moment of awkward silence until Sofia's toy began singing again.

"Mija, páre por favor!" Callie blurted out in frustration. Arizona's eyebrows shot up and Sofia pouted her bottom lip. "Enough with that song, Sofia…" she said more softly, "It's giving mama a headache."

Sofia placed the toy guitar beside her and dramatically huffed, "Farmer in a daw."

"Why don't you play with Miss Molly? Get her ready for sleepy time." Callie suggested.

The little girl wiggled off the couch and wobbled into her mother's room to get her doll ready for bed.

Arizona watched the mature child exit the living room and then looked back at her mother.

"I didn't mean to snap, it's just, I've been listening to that song for the past hour it's about to make my head explode." Callie ran her fingers through her hair.

Arizona inhaled deeply and glanced around the kitchen, "are you hungry?"

"Nah," Callie nodded her head towards the cereal box by the couch, "we snacked on a box Cheerios while we waited."

"Do you know a good place that's open at this time?" Arizona checked her watch and then scrolled through her phone's restaurant app.

"Arizona…" Callie said softly.

"There's a twenty-four hour dim sum place 3 miles away…" Arizona continued to fiddle with her phone.

"Arizona…" Callie repeated herself.

"Not your taste?" Arizona looked up from her phone.

Callie shook her head. "Arizona, I'm really not up for going out this late anymore," she explained in exhaustion.

Arizona saw the tired look on Callie's face and turned her screen off. "You're right," she put her phone back in her pocket. "I can make us dinner?"

Callie nodded her head and released a breath, "Yeah, that would be much better… and don't be ridiculous- this is my kitchen." Callie attempted to stand up but Arizona gently sat her back down.

"You have a headache," Arizona said over her shoulder and opened the fridge to search for ingredients.

"I can still make us dinner…" Callie stood up and began to take the pan and cooking utensils from their storage. "You just stood through a long surgery."

"I'm fine-" Arizona held up a small bag of tomatoes, "do you have pasta?"

"Top-shelf of that cupboard," Callie put the pan back and replaced it with a pot. "Really, Arizona… I got this."

"Then I can help you," Arizona was about to start making the pasta sauce when a small hand tugged at her shirt. "Oh hey…" she gazed down at Sofia and the little doll in her hand.

Callie paused for a moment and watched her daughter interact with her date.

"Miss Molly hurt…" Sofia lifted her doll and Arizona noticed the small tear on the doll's arm.

"Dr. Robbins, I'll take care of dinner… it looks like your medical expertise are needed." Callie tapped Arizona's arm and took the bag of tomatoes from her hand. "First aid kit is in the bathroom," she added softly.

"Oh… of course," Arizona nodded her head and crouched down to come eye to eye with the little girl "What happened to Miss Molly, Sofia?"

Sofia shrugged her shoulders, "Uh-oh…"

Arizona smiled and offered her hand, "Can I see?"

Sofia handed the surgeon her doll and watched carefully.

Arizona examined the doll's arm and gasped quietly, "She has a dislocated shoulder… but she's going to be alright." The surgeon stood up and placed the doll on the table. "Do you want to be my nurse, Sofia?"

"Uh-huh!" Sofia eagerly pulled a chair back and crawled up to take a seat.

"I'll be right back," Arizona went into the bathroom to get the first aid kit and then went into her bag by her door to get some supplies. "Are you ready, nurse Sofia?" Arizona sat down across from her and handed her pink stethoscope, "Here..."

Sofia placed the buds in her ear, quite familiar with the tool during her hospital stays, and placed the bell on Miss Molly's chest.

"Miss Molly hurt," the two year old frowned.

"That sounds bad… we're going to have to fix her, nurse Sofia." Arizona placed a pair of vinyl gloves on her hands.

"Okay," Sofia reached for a pair of gloves as well and placed the oversized material over her little hands.

Arizona couldn't help but chuckle and then opened the first aid kit to begin their mini surgery.

Callie quietly listened to the two over her shoulder while she made their dinner. Arizona assisted Sofia in placing a band aid on the ripped area and then wrapped the doll's arm with a roll of gauze before tying a makeshift sling around its neck to keep it from tearing any further.

"There…" Arizona smiled at the little girl on the edge of her seat.

Sofia placed the stethoscope in her ears again and took a quick listen. "Miss Molly bettew…"

"That's good to hear!" Arizona chuckled and took her gloves off.

"Thank you, Dr. Robbins…" Callie turned around and gave the woman a smile. "Did you thank Dr. Robbins, Sofia?"

Sofia quickly wobbled off her chair and walked around to hug Arizona's arm, "Fank you."

"You are very welcome, Sofia." Arizona hugged her back and Callie felt her heart swell. It was quite rare that Sofia warmed up to people other than her and Cristina, and she was glad Arizona passed her daughter's expectations.

"Dinner's ready." Callie regretfully interrupted their embrace.

"Okay, mama…" Sofia took her doll and gently placed her on the couch before sitting back on the couch beside her.

Callie set the bowl of pasta in the middle of the table while Arizona cleared the first aid kit and began placing their plates and cutlery. Callie disappeared for a moment to go into the balcony and returned with a wooden stool to sit on beside Arizona. Once they were all seated, Callie began plating their food and Sofia waited for her mother to cut her spaghetti up into pieces so she could easily eat it on her own.

"Yummy?" Arizona smiled when Sofia slurped the shortened pieces of pasta, and sauce smeared around her little mouth.

Sofia nodded her head and continued to eat her meal.

"I'm sorry I made you wait, she must be starving." Arizona took her fork and swirled it around her plate.

"Stop apologizing," Callie warned and began eating her meal while she guided her daughter's hand. "I know you were out there saving someone's baby."

"Yeah…" Arizona breathed out, "but thanks for this, this is really good!"

"If I have to wipe two faces, it must be pretty good." Callie laughed lightly and grabbed a napkin to wipe Arizona's face.

"What- again?" Arizona blushed and took the napkin to wipe the rest of her face on her own.

"It's okay, I'm flattered," Callie chuckled and took another napkin to wipe Sofia's face.

Arizona's face broke into a small smile and she watched the two girls eat dinner beside her. Sofia became more talkative once there was food in her stomach and the mother and daughter began to talk. A lot. Arizona couldn't understand most of what Sofia was saying, but Callie responded in either Spanish or English, and the two were having dinner conversations like old friends. It was nice. It was very warm and home-like, eating dinner at a table full of laughter and stories. It was something she hadn't had since she lived with her parents, and she didn't realized how much she'd missed it until she ate dinner with the two. They felt like a family for a minute and she knew in her heart that this was something she could really live with.

"MY bad…" Callie broke the other woman's thoughts when she caught Arizona silently watching them.

"Huh?" Arizona shook her head.

"We got a little carried away. How was your day?" Callie asked.

"Oh, it's not a problem. You two continue."

"We're just about done, Sofia here was just telling me about day care today."

"Ah," Arizona smiled at Sofia. "Did you have a good day?"

Sofia nodded her head and looked at her mother, "Sofia done?"

Callie noticed the empty plate in front of her daughter and nodded her head, "Alright, go get your pajamas."

Sofia jumped off her chair and wobbled back into her mother's room.

"She gets ready by herself?" Arizona asked in amusement.

"No," Callie laughed, "she doesn't like putting pants on so we have a deal. She gets to pick what she wants to wear and I get her ready."

"Oh… she sounds like me in college," Arizona snorted.

"Yeah, pants just aren't appealing sometimes." Callie placed their plates in the sink and Arizona helped in clearing the table.

A moment later, Sofia merged from her mother's room with her clothes in her arms.

"Can I leave you here for a minute?" Callie picked Sofia up in her arms and rested her on her hip. "I'll just go get her ready for bed."

"Yeah, you go right ahead." Arizona began washing their dishes.

"Arizona, stop that," Callie walked to the sink and turned off the water. "I'll do it later."

"Callie…" Arizona tilted her head to the side, "you made dinner, I'll do my part. You go and get Sofia ready for bed and I'll do this while I wait for you."

Callie was about to protest but Arizona gave her a firm look. "Alright… but just the dishes. Don't you dare clean up something else!"

Arizona laughed and stole a quick kiss from her date, "Don't you worry about me… go do what you gotta do so you can come back sooner."

"Okay," Callie nodded her head, "don't touch anything…" she reminded and then headed towards the bathroom to get her daughter cleaned up for the night.

Arizona smiled and went back to her dishes. As she cleaned Sofia's sippy cup and small plastic utensils, there was a small part of her that felt motherly and somewhat protective inside. Callie's tiny human reached out to her tonight and she felt a little fuzzy on the inside. She was really a sweet little girl who just took her time to open up to people. She couldn't forget the way Sofia hugged her after she fixed Miss Molly. It was more than her caring for a broken doll, but a young child loving her back in return. It was nice, and something she didn't quite get from children at work. It was motherly.

When she finished cleaning the kitchen, Arizona sat on the couch and picked up the small doll from where Sofia had left it. She reviewed their work, and thought of how to really sew the arm back on, when Callie merged from the bathroom with Sofia all ready for bed.

"I think Miss Molly is more than fine, Dr. Robbins." Callie teased.

"I know, but I was going to say she's gonna need stitches." Arizona blushed and put the doll down.

"Don't worry about it, I'll fix her up on my day off," Callie sat down beside the surgeon and placed Sofia in between them.

Sofia took her doll and snuggled Arizona's side.

"Uh…" Arizona was caught off guard when the two-year-old rested her head on her lap and hugged her thigh. "You ready to sleep with Miss Molly, sweetie?" she asked.

"Mhmm," Sofia nodded her head and rested her cheek against Arizona's jeans. "Fank you, doc-o Wobbins."

"You're welcome, Sofia." Arizona smiled and stroked Sofia's thin hair back with her fingers.

"You know you're stuck now, right?" Callie smiled when Sofia's heavy eyes began to shut.

"It's fine, I'll stay until she falls asleep so you can just carry her to bed." Arizona continued to soothe the toddler.

Callie turned to face her date and rested her head on the back of the couch. It had been a long day and she relaxed into the warm softness of her home.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Arizona finally asked.

Callie met her eyes and silently urged her to continue.

"The day you walked into the club bathroom upset… did something happen to Sofia?"

Callie slowly shook her head and insecurely crossed her arms. "That was… that was my best friend's death anniversary and I just- I've tried to be strong for me and Sofia, but I just couldn't be that day."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Arizona placed her hand on Callie's arm to show her support. "We don't have to talk about it anymore."

"No… it's okay," Callie reassured. "He was Sofia's father… Mark."

"Oh," Arizona took a deep breath and listened supportively.

"We weren't together or anything," Callie explained, "He was my rock after my family disowned me and it sort of just happened."

"And now you have Sofia," Arizona replied softly.

"Now I have Sofia," Callie repeated and smiled at her sleepy bundle of joy. It wasn't easy after the car accident took Mark away from her. At all. But every time she looked at her daughter, it made all of her troubles worth it. "Can I ask you a question?" she asked Arizona.

"Of course…"

"What brought you to the club the first time I gave you a dance? You sat on the chair like a scared little child; I figured you weren't a regular club-type."

"I wasn't." Arizona laughed nervously. "I ended a six year relationship a few weeks prior and my friend Teddy thought a dance from you would help me get over it."

"Are you over it?" Callie asked.

Arizona took a deep breath and nodded her head, "I think so… I mean, yes. Catching her in the act of cheating helped."

"Oh…" Callie winced, "that's not good."

"Nuh-uh," Arizona shook her head and laughed, but it soon faded into silence. "I couldn't give her much attention with my job being so demanding… so she found it in someone else."

"Life and its lemons." Callie repeated the line Arizona told her the night she found her in the bathroom.

"Yeah…" Arizona sighed and rubbed Sofia's back. The two year hold had fallen asleep and she couldn't help but hold the sleeping child closer to her.

"Arizona…" Callie said softly after a long moment of silence.

"Hm?" Arizona looked up from the child on her lap.

"I don't expect you to be Sofia's other mother..." Callie explained. She read the look on Arizona's face and elaborated, "I mean, I just want you to know that… if we keep this going… you can be the cool aunt. I don't expect you to be anything more or less."

Arizona sighed and met Callie's eyes, "I've never been with someone who already had a kid, Callie…" she said honestly.

"I figured," Callie replied.

"Yeah?"

Callie nodded her head, "I read the look on your face the night you met her."

"Oh," Arizona blushed.

"I didn't think I'd hear from you again, to be honest," Callie admitted.

"Work was busy… and I just needed time to process," Arizona picked at the lint on Sofia's pajamas.

"And you've processed?" Callie asked.

"I think so…" Arizona gazed up at her date, "I don't think I'm cut out to do this… but-" she quickly added, "I'm going to- I want to try."

"Why the change?" Callie asked curiously.

Arizona rubbed Sofia's back with her other hand. "I've had the best few weeks with you, Callie… which I haven't had in a very long time. I think it's worth giving this a shot. And maybe I'm not the motherly type you're looking for, but if we can keep that going, I'm willing to try."

Callie smiled and shifted a little closer. "You gave a doll a cast and sling… you're already the motherly type." She leaned in to press their lips in a soft kiss. "Thanks for trying," she whispered against her lips.

"Thanks for letting me," Arizona whispered back and melted into Callie's kiss.

Callie let her lips toy with Arizona's until she remembered the sleeping baby pressed between them. "Do you want to just stay the night?" Callie asked.

Arizona pulled back from the kiss and smiled sleepily, "Okay."

"Come on…" Callie placed Sofia on her shoulder and held the other woman's hand as she led them into her bedroom. "Sofia sleeps on the side against the wall," she explained as she scrawled into the bed and placed her daughter on her side. "There are extra toothbrushes in the bathroom cupboard… and you can borrow some pajamas in the middle drawer."

"Alright, thanks…" Arizona went into the drawer and got a t-shirt and a pair of pajamas before heading into the bathroom.

Callie changed into her night clothes and then went into the bathroom to grab her toothbrush and wash up at the kitchen sink. She made it back before Arizona and crawled into bed and lay beside her daughter. She rubbed Sofia's belly and then turned around when she heard Arizona come into her room wearing her big t-shirt and pajamas.

"You're so cute…" Callie smiled.

"You're pretty adorable yourself," Arizona blushed and walked towards the double bed.

"It's a little snug…" Callie shifted so Arizona would have room to lie down beside her.

"It's okay, I like snuggling," Arizona smiled and lay on her side to face Callie.

"I'm sorry…" Callie smirked and nodded towards her daughter.

"Sorry? She's a little angel."

"She is but people usually… you know, when they first stay the night and stuff."

"Calliope Torres, I'm not just here to sleep with you." Arizona chuckled.

"Well, technically, you are…"

Arizona playfully rolled her eyes and placed her hand on Callie's stomach. "Well then, can I get a good night kiss before I sleep with you?"

"I guess," Callie smiled and leaned in to gently brush her lips against Arizona's. "Good night."

"Good night," Arizona whispered back against her mouth and then rested her head on Callie's shoulder before the two of them drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Arizona woke up from one of the deepest, most restful nights she's had in a long time. And she knew it was because she was in Callie's arms.

000

That Friday night, Arizona entered the club and ordered her usual drink. When Callie came out onto the open floor, she couldn't help the large smirk that formed on her face.

"Hey sweetie, want a dance?" Callie teased.

"I don't know, how much is it?" Arizona played along.

"Twenty bucks for a song… but for a lady like you, I think I can work something out."

Arizona glanced around the tables and then back at Callie, "If I go, promise you won't tell my girlfriend?"

Callie smiled when Arizona said girlfriend. "For a lady like you, I think I can."

Arizona chuckled and stood up to take Callie's hand as she led them to the back room. When Callie pulled the black curtain closed, however, Arizona was the one who sat her down and straddle her hips.

"Oh…" Callie arched her eyebrow and placed her hands on Arizona's hips, "hello."

"Shh," Arizona pressed their lips, "No talking." She placed her hand behind Callie's head and deepened the kiss.

"Hmm-why?" Callie melted into the kiss.

"I dance on your lap tonight," Arizona husked.

"You're fully clothed," Callie chuckled.

"Hm…" Arizona arched her eyebrow and leaned back to pull her shirt over her head.

"Never mind," Callie smirked and placed her hands on Arizona's naked waist.

"Shh," Arizona kissed her again and began grinding against Callie's thigh to the song. "You're making up for the sex-less sleepover the other night."

"S-sex-less sleep… over?" Callie laughed between kisses.

"Yes." Arizona smiled against her partner's lips and stood up from her seated form.

Callie watched Arizona stand in front of her and slowly unzip the front of her jeans. A wicked smile formed on Arizona's lips and Callie watched her sway her hips to the slow music while Arizona carefully pull her jeans down her legs.

"Not bad for a beginner," Callie teased as Arizona stepped out of her pants and straddled her hips again.

"Shut up and let me give you a show," Arizona chuckled and tossed her bra towards the direction of her shirt.

Callie watched wide-eyed as Arizona danced on her lap and she saw her naked form for the first time.

"You can touch them," Arizona reminded, much like Callie did the first time she gave her a lap dance.

Callie laughed at the familiar line and slid her hands up the woman's sides to brush her thumbs across Arizona's breast.

Arizona stopped dancing and seated herself on her partner's lap. She attacked her lips in another round of hard kisses as Callie touched her chest, and then moaned against the dancer's lips when her arousal made its presence.

"I want you to…" Arizona managed to voice.

"Where?" Callie husked.

Arizona kept their lips together and blindly guided Callie's hand down the front of her pants, "here."

Callie groaned against the surgeon's lips and slipped her fingers inside the damped opening.

"CALLIE," Arizona gasped when she felt her lover inside her for the first time. She was finally letting Callie reciprocate and she was more than glad she was.

"Ay mi amor… como me gusta esto, como me gusta sentir que mojada estas chiquita." Callie began pumping her fingers.

Arizona jerked forward and rested her forehead against Callie's temple. "Oh god, don't stop," she moaned into the dancer's ear and tangled her fingers into her dark locks.

Callie smiled and continued to pump her fingers as Arizona soaked her hand, right down to her thighs. "You're so hot…" she whispered sweet nothings into the surgeon's ear as she brought her higher and higher to the beat of the music.

Arizona felt the heat between her legs flame up as Callie relieved her need. When she finally came, her legs squeezed Callie's hips and her head shot back as she sucked Callie's fingers deep inside her.

"Fuck…" Arizona groaned against the dancer's shoulder as she caught her breath again. "That was totally worth waiting for," she mumbled.

"Mhmm," Callie chuckled and slowly eased herself out of the surgeon. "So how much do I pay you for this show, Dimples?"

Arizona laughed and leaned back to meet her partner's eyes. "You were so good…" she stole a quick kiss, "no charge."

"Free show? Lucky me," Callie teased.

Arizona smiled and sighed as she caught her breath again. "Phew, now I know why you need that little towel." She fanned herself and slowly got up to get dressed.

"Yeah," Callie laughed, "it's quite the workout."

"Hm, no wonder you've got killer hips." Arizona pulled her pants back on and pulled her shirt over her head. "What time are you off today?"

"Uh, 1… but I'm probably going to go home and catch up on some sleep. Someone called in sick so I worked double at the diner this morning."

"Alright, do you want me to wait for you?"

"Um, no… you should probably go before my other clients call for me," Callie suggested.

Arizona scrunched her nose at the thought, "You're right… I don't want to be in here knowing those guys are looking at my goodies." She motioned towards Callie's chest. When she said she was okay with dating a stripper, she really did mean that she was comfortable with the fact that Callie danced half-naked as a night job. She admits it was a turn on. But she'd rather not think of sharing Callie with her other clients.

"Oh, your goodies?" Callie chuckled.

"Uh-huh…" Arizona leaned in to give her a quick kiss. "I'll see you later."

"Mhmm, later…" Callie hummed against her soft lips.

Arizona pulled back and smiled before heading towards the black curtain. "Oh, and Calliope…" she turned around.

Callie listened attentively.

Arizona took a step closer and traced the top of Callie's thong with her finger before slipping her hand inside.

"Arizona…" Callie gasped when the woman rubbed her through her folds. Her eyes fluttered close and her lips remained parted. "Arizona, don't…" she half-heartedly pleaded.

"Are you sure?" Arizona challenged.

"Yeah," Callie fought the temptation and took hold of Arizona's wrist to stop her. "I can't be turned on while I dance on someone else's lap."

"Oh, right…" Arizona withdrew her hand and placed it on Callie's hip, "I'll pay you back on my bed."

"Deal…" Callie smiled and pulled the black curtain back to let Arizona out, "I'm sure it will be worth the wait."


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: All copyrighted material belongs to their respective owners. This is a work of fiction. This is not for profit. No infringement intended.

~author's note~ Here… have a nice chapter before we get into the real drama :P

Chapter 5

Callie opened her eyes as sunlight filled her bedroom. Sofia was still sleeping on her side of the bed, and she gave her little angel a quick good morning kiss. Sofia's chest expanded as she inhaled, and a cute snore left her nose as she exhaled. She was the perfect copy of Callie down to her little snores.

Stretching her back, she feels the soreness of dancing all night in her muscles. Deciding a warm shower would help, she builds a fort of pillows around her baby and heads to the bathroom. She leaves the doors unlocked, knowing Sofia will come looking for her once she's awake.

Stripping out of her clothes, she takes a look at her face in the mirror. She still wore last night's eyeliner and it had smudged under her eyes during the night; her usual look the morning after working at the club. Turning on the water, she adjusts the temperature so it's warm enough to soothe her, but not hot enough to jack up their electricity bill. It was the few dollars she saved every now and then that she immediately placed in Sofia's savings account.

Stepping under the warm spray, she closed her eyes and let the water relieve her muscles. Eventually, she lathered herself in some body wash, and rinsed herself clean. It felt amazing to just stand under the water, and she decided to stay a moment longer.

Until the door opened and little footsteps ran across the bathroom tiles.

"MAAAMAA!" the two year old ran towards the shower and pulled back the curtain enough to see her mother.

"Hey!" Callie squealed as she covered herself with her hands. It wasn't that Sofia hadn't seen her chest, she breastfed her for a year. But she covered herself to maintain some modesty in front of her daughter. Callie at home was not Rock Star at the club, and she wanted to raise her daughter as far away from the secret life she lived at night.

"Phone, mama, phone!" Sofia held up her mother's vibrating cell phone.

"Oh!" Callie turned off the water and wiped her hands on the nearby towel before taking her phone. "Thank you, miija..." she brought the phone to her ear, "Hello?"

"Calliope!"

Callie smiled and wrapped the towel around her body as she stepped out of the shower, "Arizona…"

The two women talked and Sofia followed her mother into the living room. She watched carefully as her mami laughed, and smiled, and she wondered who she was talking to. She had never seen her mother act like this on the phone before.

"Yes, six is fine," Callie smiled and then laughed again. "Alright… uh-huh… I'll see you later. Buh-bye." She hung up the phone and placed it on the kitchen counter as she started a pot of coffee.

"Mami…?" Sofia asked curiously.

"Si?" Callie began taking cups out of the cupboard.

"Who ya call?"

"Hm?" Callie smiled and turned to look at her daughter. "That was Dr. Robbins."

"Doc-o Wobbins?" Sofia smiled. "Doc-o Wobbins come to play?"

"Oh, not tonight, sweetie," Callie took two slices of bread and put them in the toaster. "We're going on a date tonight. Will you be okay staying with Cristina again?"

Sofia's face dropped into a frown. "Sofia go too?"

Callie read the look on her daughter's face and sighed. "Is it okay if you come next time?" she asked.

Sofia continued to frown but she obediently nodded her head, "Okay…"

"Hey..." Callie lifted her little girl onto her hip and kissed her forehead. She knew Sofia wasn't used to having to share her with someone else, and this was something completely new to her. Something the child would have to adjust to if Arizona was going to be around for a long time.

"I won't be out too long, promise. Do you want anything while I'm outside? I'll bring home…" Callie hummed in thought, "Crunchies?"

"CRUNCHIES!" Sofia's face brightened into a big smile.

"Yes, I'll bring home Crunchies. Yummy, yummy, Crunchies." She knew bribing her daughter with chocolate bars wasn't the best solution, but she promised she was going to make it up to Sofia later.

"Okay," the child wrapped her arms around her mother's neck.

The front door suddenly opened and a red haired man stepped into their apartment.

"Oh sh-ugar hot ice tea!" Callie held the towel at her chest and ran to her room with Sofia in her arms.

"Morning…" the man greeted carefully.

"Hey Owen," Callie answered from behind her bedroom door as she began to get dressed.

"Did you walk in on her in her underwear again?" Cristina came in behind Owen.

"Nope… towel," Owen chuckled.

"That's not as bad," Cristina laughed and kicked her boots off before sitting on their couch.

"Hey Cal?" Owen called out, "Can I grab a cup of coffee?"

"Yeah, sure!" Callie replied.

Owen took a cup from the table and poured himself a serving before joining his girlfriend on the couch.

"See, look at this…" Cristina showed him the magazine, "I can paint that in my sleep… with my feet! How is this painting selling for 5 grand when I can barely sell mine at the gallery?"

"You just haven't found the right buyer's yet," Owen reassured and took a sip of his drink.

"OWIE!" Sofia ran out of Callie's bedroom as soon as the door opened again.

"Hey, kiddo…" Owen lifted his girlfriend's god daughter onto his lap.

"Hey…" Callie came out in a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

"Look who finally decided to put some clothes on," Cristina teased.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know he was coming over today," Callie nodded towards Owen and poured herself a cup of coffee. "Darn, this toaster burnt my toast again!"

"I told you, you need a new toaster," Cristina shrugged.

"And a new coffee maker," Owen winced as he took another sip of his coffee. "Is it just me or its extra rusty this morning?"

"You know what?" Callie chuckled, knowing how bad her kitchen appliances really were. "Not everyone has a fancy French Press and a Kitchen Aid waffle maker," he arched her eyebrow at Owen.

"Yeah, I have pretty luxurious breakfast equipment," Owen snickered.

Callie began buttering her burnt piece of toast and placed the less-toasted piece on a small plate for Sofia. "Well, Owen… maybe we'll start crashing at your place for breakfast."

"Sure…" Owen nodded in agreement, "just don't forget to wear clothes."

Callie threw a small pack of sugar at his face and they all shared a roll of laughter.

000

Arizona whistled a fast tune as she scrubbed out of her third surgery of the day. She was really looking forward to having Callie over at her place tonight, and everything was just extra… awesome.

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun? Really?" Alex Karev arched his eyebrow as he washed his hands beside her.

"What? Don't you think girls should have a little fun?" Arizona began swaying her hips.

"You're weird," the resident winced.

"Nope," Arizona smiled, "I'm awesome."

"From what I heard, you're just getting laid."

"Say what?" Arizona snapped her head towards him.

"Come on, you were all dark and gloomy after that ortho nurse left this place." Alex smirked, "So who's the new girl?"

"That… is none of your business," Arizona continued to wash her hands and whistle.

"I thought we were tight, Robbins," the resident chuckled. "Just tell me where she's from… neuro? Psych? Have you started hunting down the derma girls?"

"No, no, and no…" Arizona rolled her eyes. "Are we done talking about this?" she dried her hands and began to walk away.

Alex watched his boss and laughed to himself. He was truly happy to see light and bright Arizona back again, and he thanked the new mystery woman. Whoever she was.

000

"Sofia?" Callie called out when she picked her daughter up from the daycare.

"Hola mami…" Sofia weakly replied.

"What's wrong, mija?" Callie lifted the little girl into her arms.

"She's starting to run a temperature," the daycare worker informed. "One of the kids was sick yesterday; she might have caught the bug."

"Oh no…" Callie sighed and felt her daughter's forehead. She was a little warm. "How are you feeling, mija?"

"Yucky," Sofia frowned and buried her face into her mother's grey diner uniform.

"Okay," Callie rubbed her daughter's back. "Thanks, Tanya…" she thanked the daycare worker and took Sofia's backpack as she carried her daughter to the bus stop.

"Sofia eat Crunchie's?" the little girl mumbled as they waited for their bus.

"Maybe later, sweetie… you need some soup and vegetables," Callie continued to soothe her sick little girl's back.

"Okay," Sofia sniffed and settled into her mother's embrace.

Callie boarded the bus soon after, and paid her fare before taking a seat with Sofia still in her arms. Placing the pink backpack on her lap, she pulled out her phone to call Arizona.

"Hello?" Arizona eagerly answered.

"Hey…" Callie sighed, "I can't do tonight…" she said sadly.

"What? Why?" Arizona asked with a hint of disappointment.

"Sofia caught a bug at daycare; she's starting to run a fever."

"Oh, poor thing…" Arizona released a breath. "Okay. It's okay. Do you want to stay in?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure, that could work," Callie agreed, "Same time tonight?"

"I'll be there," Arizona confirmed.

000

Sofia laid on the couch with her baby blanket and a small towel on her forehead. Callie began making her soup when a quiet knock came from their door. Putting her ladle aside, Callie walked towards the door to open it.

"Hey Cal, can I borrow some-" Addison stopped talking when she saw Sofia on the couch, "What happened to my baby?"

"Fever," Callie stepped aside to let her best friend inside.

"Auntie Addie?" Sofia breathed out when she saw her other godmother enter their apartment.

"Myt baby girl…." Addison rushed to her goddaughter's side. "What happened, my angel?"

"There's some sort of flu going around the daycare," Callie answered and returned to her soup making.

"Oh, poor baby… how do you feel, sweetie?" Addison brushed Sofia's hair back with her fingers.

"Yucky," the little girl frowned. "Mama making soup."

"I can see that," Addison comforted the small child. "But what do you want to eat?"

"Crunchie's" the two-year-old frowned.

"Don't. You. Dare. Addison Montgomery." Callie warned before Addison could reply to her daughter's request. Addison spoiled her goddaughter whenever she could.

"Okay… how about when you feel better, Sofia?" Addison backed off.

The little girl weakly nodded her head in agreement.

"What kind of soup are you making, anyways?" Addison asked Callie. "It smells really good."

"Creamy chicken soup with extra veggies," Callie continued to chop her fresh produce.

"Mmm, can I stay for dinner?" Addison chuckled.

"Yeah sure," Callie answered automatically. "Oh… um," she hummed when she remembered what else was happening to night. "Someone's coming over in a few minutes." she warned.

"Do I know them?" Addison asked.

"Um, not really…" Callie winced.

"A friend from work?"

"No…" Callie shook her head, "Well sort of. We've been seeing each other for a while now…" she gave her best friend a guilty smile, "I didn't wanna say anything until it was sort of official."

"Oh my gosh…" Addison read the look on Callie's face and stood up to approach her, "shut the hell up!"

"Language!" Callie warned, looking at her daughter, who was too sick to mind the bad talk.

"Sorry, no way!" Addison corrected. "You have a date? I mean, that's good… but who's the lucky guy?"

"Um… this _woman_ I met," Callie shrugged her shoulders.

"Met where?" Addison pushed on.

"At a bar…" Callie answered shyly.

"What were you doing at a bar?" Addison creased her forehead, knowing Callie didn't drink for a reason.

"Just… hanging out and stuff," Callie shrugged her shoulders again.

Addison narrowed her eyes as she read her best friend like an open book. "If by 'bar' you mean 'the club', you're going to have to explain yourself real well, missy…"

"Okay, 'the club'…" Callie rolled her eyes, knowing there was no escape from Addison.

"Is she a client?" Addison gasped, "Callie…" she tilted her head to the side.

"I know, I know," Callie defended, "She's… well, she's not like the other clients."

"Are you sure she's real, Cal? You know, we've been through this before… they think we're just girls they can take out to dinner a couple of times for an easy lay."

"She's not like that, Addison…" Callie sighed, "And she's met Sofia."

"You let a client meet your daughter?" Addison huffed.

"She's not just a client…" Callie ran her fingers through her hair, "okay? I know what I'm doing…"

"Alright," Addison held her hands up in defense, "I'm just looking out for you, Callie, you know that. I don't want a repeat of last time."

"I_ know_ what happened the last time," Callie sighed. "She's not like that…"

"Okay… I believe you…" Addison nodded her head. "Um, do you mind if I meet her? I'll be out of your hair after dinner."

Callie sucked in a breath, knowing Addison was just being a good best friend, "Fine."

000

Arizona walked into Callie's apartment and hummed when the smell of food met her nose. "Something smells amazing," she smiled and gave Callie a quick kiss on the cheek. "Oh, hello…" she greeted the familiar woman in the living room.

"Hi," Addison stood up and offered her hand, "Addison, Callie's best friend."

"Arizona," she shook her hand and caught Sofia from the corner of her eye. "Oh poor girl…" she frowned and walked over to feel Sofia's forehead with the back of her hand. "Did you get her temperature?"

"Uh…" Callie knit her brows, "no. I haven't been able to get a new thermometer."

"Oh…" Arizona thought for a moment, "that's okay. Just feel her forehead every four to six hours and call me if she feels too hot, alright?"

"Yeah," Callie nodded her head, "thanks."

"Are you a nurse or something?" Addison asked curiously.

"Um, no…" Arizona answered shyly, "doctor."

"You're a doctor?" Addison's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Yes," Arizona blushed from being put on the spot.

"Hard core," Addison nodded her head and smiled.

"Pediatric surgeon, actually..." Callie corrected as she began putting the soup into bowls.

"Even more badass," Addison chuckled. "I dated a paramedic once. I really respect you medics and the kind of things you have to deal with every day."

"Thank you," Arizona gave her a small smile.

"Okay, who's ready for soup?" Callie placed two bowls on the table. "You two eat here, I'll feed Sofia on the couch."

The two women took their seat and Callie brought the small bowl to her daughter. Picking up her baby into her arms, she began to feed a very warm and cranky Sofia her dinner.

Addison dug right in, having a deep love for Callie's cooking. But Arizona swirled her spoon around her bowl for a moment. A few pieces of chicken and veggies floated around the creamy soup, but she knew it wasn't going to satisfy her hunger after a long work day. Finally taking a spoonful, she was surprised at the flavours that met her tongue.

"Callie…" she called out casually, "do you have crackers?"

"Um…" Callie thought for a moment, "I have baby root biscuits, but I don't think it'll go well with that. How about bread?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

Callie pointed at the bread bin and Arizona took her slice.

"So..." Addison forced a smile when Arizona sat back down, "you're Callie's regular...?"

Arizona looked up from her soup and nodded her head. She knew where Callie's best friend was going with this, and she expected nothing less. She would have done the same thing if Teddy had suddenly started dating a patient.

"You're looking for a long-term partner, or just a cheap drink?" Addison asked.

"Addison..." Callie warned.

"It's fine, Calliope," Arizona reassured. "I'd like a long-term partner… hopefully."

"And you know Callie has a daughter so she's a package deal. You think you're ready to get more than what you paid for?"

"Addison!" Callie shot her a glare, but Addison ignored it.

"I don't think we're here yet..." Arizona answered confidently, "but in time, yes... I'd like to settle down."

"Can you see yourself with someone like Callie? Knowing the kind of job she works at night?"

"I do..." Arizona wholeheartedly answered. Callie was the best thing that's happened to her in the past few years.

"What about jealousy?" Addison asked. "You know dozens of men see her... touch her."

Arizona inhaled deeply through her nose and looked at Callie. "I'll admit that I'd rather not think about it... but I've accepted her work."

"Would you want her to quit one day?" Addison pushed on.

"I think that's a decision Callie is capable of making herself," Arizona answered.

"You really want this, huh?" Addison arched her eyebrow.

Arizona nodded her head, "She's made me happier in the past few months than anyone has in years... I really think we have something here and I want to try and make this work."

"Okay," Addison stood up and placed her empty bowl in the sink. She walked over to Arizona and awkwardly, by sweetly, gave her a hug. "Good, because I like you already…" she said softly.

Arizona chuckled and tapped the arm Addison had wrapped around her chest, "So I passed the best friend test?"

Addison laughed and straightened her back, "I knew you would." She went back to the sink to quickly wash her dishes. "Oh, but hurt her and I will hunt you down..." she lifted the metal spoon and threatened Arizona with it before placing back in its container.

"Alright, Addison," Callie rolled her eyes.

"I got the message," Arizona nodded her head.

"GOOD." Addison smiled and looked at best friend, "Thanks for dinner, Cal… oh, before I go, could I borrow some sugar?" She chuckled to herself, "I forgot that was the reason I came here in the first place."

000

When Addison left, and dinner was cleaned up, Callie laid Sofia to sleep on her bed. When she came back, Arizona had fallen asleep on her couch, and she climbed over her to join her.

"Hm?" Arizona sleepily shifted forward so Callie could spoon her. "Just a fifteen minute nap, promise." She had worked a twelve hour shift and needed a quick power nap to recharge.

"Do you wanna sleep here?" Callie asked.

"Can't," Arizona replied with her eyes closed, "Work tomorrow at 5."

"Alright" Callie buried her nose into Arizona's hair and rubbed her shoulder while she napped.

Fifteen minutes later, Arizona's watch beeped, and she opened her eyes to turn the alarm off.

"Long day?" Callie asked, now that the doctor was awake.

"Kind of," Arizona yawned.

"I'm sorry out Addison..."Callie apologized.

"It's fine. I know how best friends can be."

Callie kissed Arizona's shoulder and Arizona turned her body to face her. The doctor brushed their lips, and Callie parted her mouth. The two began to make out, and the kiss became heated in no time. Though they kept their clothes on, they groped each other through the material of their clothing.

The door opened a mere ten minutes later, and Cristina walked into the apartment. The two women broke apart and looked at the third party in surprise.

"Nice," Cristina smirked and took her coat of before going into her room.

Callie rolled her eyes and looked at the woman beside her. "Sorry about that..."

"It's okay," Arizona looked at her watch, "I should probably get going now anyways."

"Aw, alright," Callie pouted her bottom lip and Arizona stole a quick kiss.

"I'll call you in the morning," she promised.

Callie smiled in excitement, "I'll be waiting."

000

The next day, Callie sat on the back steps of the diner, drinking a small cup of coffee during her coffee break. When she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, she pulled it out and smiled when she saw Arizona's number.

"Hey baby..."

"Um… is this Callie?" the voiced asked awkwardly.

"Yes?" Callie's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Hi, this is Teddy… Arizona's friend."

"Oh, hi…" Callie stayed on the line.

"Look, I stole her phone while she's in surgery. It's her birthday next Friday, and I know you two have been seeing each other for a bit. It would be really great if you could come too..."

"Uh, sure," Callie agreed, though she knew she would have to miss a day of work at the club.

"Great!" Teddy smiled, "The party is at Arizona's apartment. She gets home from work at about 7 so be there before 6:45, just to be sure."

"Okay… oh, wait. Where is Arizona's apartment?"

"You don't know where she lives?" Teddy knit her brows. She knew the two had been dating for over a month by now, and she was surprised Callie had yet to go to Arizona's place.

"No…" Callie took a pen out of her pocket and turned to the back of her notepad.

"Um," Teddy thought for a moment, "502 South Court Street, apartment 906… just tell the security guard you're there for the Robbin's party and he'll let you in."

"Alright…" Callie wrote the details and ripped the piece of paper out of her order pad, "thanks."

"I'll see you there."

000

Over the next week and half, Callie and Arizona spent the little time they could outside. Their work schedules clashed and they barely saw each other in person. They simply got by on late night phone calls, cute text messages, and the occasional naughty picture. They never ran out of things to talk about but Callie still tried her best to keep the surprise party a secret.

She would never tell Arizona, but she worked overtime at the diner every day that week. She booked the night off at the club, and knew she would be short on cash because of it. So she asked manager for a few extra diner shifts. Between taking care of Sofia, working longer shifts, and staying up to talk to Arizona, Callie was exhausted. But she sucked it up for the rest of the week because she needed the extra money so she didn't go to Arizona's birthday party empty handed.

~Next Friday~

Callie hopped off her bus and walked half a block until she reached building 502. When she got to the front doors, she looked up at the tall concrete building.

"Nice…" she whispered to herself.

"Are you coming in?" the door man asked.

"Oh yeah," she gave him a small smile and he opened the large door for her, "Thank you." She went straight to the security desk, and soon she was on the elevator going up to Arizona's apartment. When she got to door 906, she gently knocked and waited for a response.

Teddy opened the door and smiled at the other woman, "Hello…"

"Hi," Callie said softly.

"Are you Terry?" Teddy asked.

"Callie..." she extended her hand.

"YOU'RE CALLIE?" Teddy's eyes widened. Callie looked familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Yeah," Callie awkwardly glanced around them.

"Come here!" Teddy pulled the other woman in for a hug.

"Oh…" Callie chuckled and hugged the other woman back.

"Nice to finally meet you," Teddy released her embrace and stepped aside to let the woman in. "Come in… your girl should be here for her surprise soon."

"Thanks…" Callie smiled and entered the large apartment. "Oy…" she muttered under her breath when she took in her surroundings. The mixture of wood and concrete blended and contrasted, and the large windows had a great view of the city. Arizona lived in a flat that looked straight out of a magazine.

Guest had already arrived and they all stood in their own groups of two to four, chit-chatting amongst themselves with drinks in their hands.

"Just tell the bartender what you want," Teddy mentioned. "Everything's on me," she added with a wink.

"Thank you," Callie spotted the small bar in the kitchen, and the man in white mixing drinks. When Teddy told her it was a house party, she didn't expect it to be_ this _kind of house party. Even the guests were well-dressed and she felt a little under dressed in her dark jeans and blouse.

Not knowing who else to talk to, Callie went straight to the bar and looked at the selections.

"What can I get ya?" the man smiled.

"Um…" she looked at the bottles. They were all alcoholic. "Soda is fine..."

"Just soda?" the man teased.

"Do you have anything else that doesn't have alcohol?"

"I can make you a really mean virgin pineapple blend," the man smirked.

"Oh, that sounds good," Callie smiled.

"Coming right up," he gave her a wink and began mixing ingredients.

Callie looked out the window while she waited. The sun was setting and the view of the pink sky over the large buildings was breathtaking. It must have been nice to see the city like this every night, she thought.

"Here you go…" the bartender placed the pineapple slush in front of her.

"Thank you," she smiled and took her drink. She walked back into the crowd and looked at her watch. She had about five minutes to kill and she didn't know anyone other than Teddy. Spotting an empty seat on the couch, she sat down and sipped at her drink.

"Anyone sitting here?" a young woman head asked.

"Nope," Callie shook her head and moved to give her more room. As she sat down, a small child wobbled her way over to them.

"Come to mama, Zola!" the woman opened her arms as the baby unsteadily walked to her. "Good girl," she cooed and placed her daughter on her lap.

Callie smiled when the baby looked at her, and received a small laugh in return.

"She's teething, huh?" Callie chuckled.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" the other woman laughed along.

"That white spot on her gums is gonna make her really cranky when it starts pushing itself out," Callie explained.

"Tell me about it," the woman smiled, "I'm mentally preparing myself for the fits and tantrums."

"Just load up on the frozen treats," Callie suggested.

"That's a good idea," the woman smiled. "Meredith Grey," she offered her hand.

"Callie Torres," Callie shook her hand. "Are you old friends with Arizona?"

"We've worked together for a few years now," Meredith answered.

"Oh, you're a doctor too?" Callie asked.

"Surgical resident. You don't work at the hospital too, do you? I don't think I've seen you around."

"Nope," Callie shook her head, "I'm…" she thought for a moment. She didn't know how to introduce herself to be quite honest. Arizona wasn't her girlfriend, officially. "I'm a friend from somewhere else."

"Ah, see that's what I thought," Meredith admitted. "Just about everyone here is from work," she laughed to herself.

"EVERYBODY," Teddy called their attention. "SHE'S IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING!"

"It's show time…" Meredith smiled and stood up with Zola in her arms.

Callie laughed and stood up as well. The entire crowd faced the door and they all waited quietly.

The door knob began to turn and everyone silently prepared themselves. When the door opened, Arizona stepped in and gasped.

"SURPRISE!" everyone cheered.

"What?" Arizona laughed out loud, "How did all of you get into my apartment?"

"Happy birthday," Teddy laughed along and gave her best friend a big hug.

"Thank you… you sneaky little thing! How did you pull this off behind my back?" Arizona gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"You know I have my magical ways," Teddy teased. "Come on, everyone's here!"

Callie watched Arizona slowly make her way into the apartment. She was hugged, and showered with greetings as she got deeper into the place, and Callie waited until she was close enough to approach her.

"CALLIE!" Arizona squeaked and ran towards the other woman. "YOU'RE HERE?" she wrapped her arms around her and held her tight.

"Happy birthday…" Callie smiled and kissed her temple.

"I can't believe you're here!" Arizona tightened her hold.

"Yeah, your friend Teddy was really sneaky about it," Callie chuckled.

Arizona pulled out of the hug and looked at her best friend, "How'd you pull this one off?"

"She stole your phone and gave me a call," Callie chuckled.

"I can't believe you two!" Arizona laughed and held on to Callie's hand.

"Look over there…" Teddy nodded towards one of the large windows.

"TERRY?" Arizona released Callie's hand and ran into her good olf college friend's arms.

Callie smiled when she saw the excitement in Arizona's eyes, and she waited patiently as the crowd took turns talking to Arizona. However, after standing through a few long conversations, she decided to take a seat and let Arizona socialize with her friends.

"Alex Karev…" the man sat beside her and offered his hand.

"Callie Torres," she shook his hand.

"Dermatology?" Alex asked.

"I'm sorry?" Callie tilted her head to the side.

"No… don't tell me. Psych…?"

"I'm not following," Callie knit her brows in confusion.

"Okay, I give up, what's your department?"

"My department?" Callie tilted her head to the side and watched the strange man.

"A-ha, ortho… you look like you're in ortho."

"I'm not a doctor," Callie snort.

"OH," Alex chuckled, "I'm sorry, I just assumed everyone was from the hospital..."

"It's okay," Callie smiled, "I think it's pretty funny that I'm in a room full of doctors."

"Yeah, we spend too much time there together… we're sort of like family."

"So you work with Arizona?" Callie asked.

"Yeah, she's my boss… actually, she's half of these people's boss..." he added with a laugh.

"Is she team leader or something?"

"Head of the department," Alex answered.

"Oh," Callie's eyes widened and she bit the inside of her bottom lip. At first she found out Arizona was a doctor. Then she found out she was a surgeon. And now she found out she was actually head of an entire hospital department. She couldn't help but wonder what else Arizona downplayed around her.

Before she could continue their conversation, she felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her neck. And she turned her head to see Arizona hug her from behind the couch.

"Sorry about that," she whispered.

"It's okay. Alex here was keeping me company," Callie smiled.

Arizona arched her eyebrow and looked at her resident. "I hope he hasn't been giving you trouble…"

"No trouble at all," Callie laughed.

"So Teddy wants me to cut the cake soon, would you come hold my hand?" Arizona adorably requested.

"Of course," Callie smiled.

"Good, we're stating in a few minutes," Arizona gave Callie quick kiss on the lips and walked away to help set things up.

Alex's mouth formed into a sly smile and he took a sip of his beer.

"What?" Callie chuckled when she read the look on his face.

"You're the mystery woman," he answered

"I'm who?" Callie laughed.

"You're the reason Robbins is all woo-hoo and happy all the time." He smirked. "I mean, she got really grumpy after she dumped with her ex, and I mean really grumpy. She sort of kept to herself and snapped if anyone got in her way. But ever since she started dating this _mystery woman_, she's been back to her old self. Except a little more… perky. It's almost sickening."

Callie laughed and arched her eyebrow, "She used to be grumpy, huh?"

"Like the Grinch on Christmas day," Alex laughed, "But don't tell her I said that."

"Callie?" Arizona called out from kitchen.

"Oh- that's my cue," Callie stood up, "It was nice meeting you."

"Likewise," Alex lifted his beer.

Arizona took Callie's hand and the two of them walked to the dining room. The cake was in the form of a giant sprinkled donut, and Callie couldn't help but smile at how adorable, and very Arizona, it was.

"You forgot about 45 candles…" Callie teased as Teddy placed a single candle on the cake.

"Hey," Arizona playfully nudged Callie's arm, "I'm not that old!"

Teddy chuckled and lit the cake, "Alright, you two…" she warned as the two became more touchy. "Happy birthday to you…"

The guest followed her lead and the group sang the traditional song in tune.

"Don't forget to make a wish," Callie mentioned.

Arizona shut her eyes and tightened her hold on Callie's hand. She silently made her wish and then blew the single candle on her cake.

"AY!" the people cheered.

Arizona smiled and quickly pulled Callie in for a wet kiss. Callie's eyes shot open in surprise, but they fluttered close when Arizona's lips soothed her mouth, and the crowd cheered louder.

"Happy birthday…" Callie laughed when Arizona pulled back.

"_Happy_ birthday, alright…" Arizona stole another quick kiss before returning to her cake slicing.

000

People eventually started to leave, and by midnight only a few of Arizona's close friends remained. They sat around the large living room couches, and Callie and Arizona sat together, hand in hand. They had a great time talking, and catching up, and Arizona made the effort to include Callie in from time to time so she didn't feel too left out.

"What about you, Callie?" one of Arizona's friends asked, "What's your specialty?"

"Um… chocolate cake?" Callie answered jokingly.

"Oh, I agree with that one," Arizona chuckled, "she makes the best chocolate cake!"

"Do not…" Callie laughed.

"Do too!" Arizona smiled.

Callie rolled her eyes and looked back at the woman who asked the question. "I'm a waitress," she answered the question confidently.

"Oh," the woman said in surprise, "So you're starting to date outside the surgical field, huh, Arizona?" she teased.

Arizona bit her bottom lip and looked at Callie, "You'll be surprised what you'll find outside the hospital walls."

"Or over the wall, in general," Callie added with a small smirk. She was glad that she met Arizona outside of the club that night, and she knew it was the right decision since.

Arizona smiled and ran her thumb up and down Callie's knuckle. She was glad she found Callie and she was more than glad she was here with her on her birthday night.

000

When the grandfather clock struck one, only Teddy and Terry remained. The girls had a few last drinks, and Callie settled for a glass of milk to go with her cake.

"Arizona..." Callie tilted her head towards the other woman when she noticed the time.

"Hm?" Arizona turned her head and smiled.

"I have to go..." Callie sighed.

"Already?" Arizona frowned. "I thought you were going to stay the night..."

"Not tonight," Callie shook her head, "Cristina has to be at work in a couple of hours."

"I can't drive…" Arizona knit her brows.

"I know, and it's okay," Callie reassured, "The last bus leaves in ten minutes."

"Alright," Arizona said sadly and stood up to walk her girlfriend to the foyer.

Callie said her good byes and soon the two of them stood in front of the door, where they had a little more privacy.

"Did you have a good night?" Callie asked.

"Mhm," Arizona pouted her bottom lip and stepped closer to wrap her arms around Callie. "I don't want you to go," she said softly.

"Me too," Callie toyed with the material of Arizona's shirt. "But Sofia…" she barely whispered.

"I know," Arizona rested her forehead against Callie's forehead. She had never dated someone who already had a child, but she knew the baby came first.

"But I got you something..." Callie said softly.

"Callie, you didn't have to get me anything," Arizona worried her girlfriend had gone through the trouble of getting her a gift. She knew the kind of financial situation Callie was in and she couldn't find it in herself to take anything from her.

"I'm your- we're dating..." Callie defended.

"Were you gonna say girlfriend?" Arizona's mouth brightened into a smile.

"Uh..." Callie felt her cheeks blush.

"Am I your girlfriend?" Arizona teasingly asked.

"Um, yeah?" Callie smiled and adorably lowered her gaze to the floor.

"So what did you get your girlfriend?" Arizona tightened her hold and smiled.

"It's not much..." Callie reached into her purse and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

Arizona curiously took the sheet and unfolded its flaps.

"It's a B&B a few hours away," Callie explained, "We can go on Sunday... since we both have the day off."

"This is perfect, Calliope..." Arizona looked up from the ad and into her girlfriend's eyes, "this is just what I needed."

"So you like it?" Callie asked.

"Of course..." Arizona closed the space between them and gave her girlfriend a big juicy kiss. "Thank you," she stepped back and smiled. "Gosh, I can't wait!"


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: All copyrighted material belongs to their respective owners. This is a work of fiction. This is not for profit. No infringement intended.

~author's note~ So this is a light and steamy chapter before we get into the heavy ones. Chapter 7 is currently 75% written so it will come SOON as I am trying to get everything finished before September 1st. Thanks for your patience while I took care of pre-grad school stuff, and thank you for reading! :)

Chapter 6

Addison opened her door and smiled when she saw her goddaughter. "Hi baby…" she extended her arms towards Sofia.

Callie kissed her daughter's forehead and handed her off to her godmother. "There should be enough diapers in here to last you the weekend," she added. "Her favourite sippy-cup is there too."

"Teddy bear, Auntie Addie…" Sofia showed her godmother the stuffed animal.

"Wow," Addison smiled, "I've never seen this little guy before. Did you just get him?"

"No," Sofia shook her head, "Doc-o Wobbins give mami."

Addison smirked and glanced at Callie questioningly.

"Arizona won it at a carnival a while ago," Callie explained. "Now…" she continued what she had to say as she gave Addison her daughter's overnight backpack. "I put money in the envelope for her milk. I didn't get to buy a carton on time, sorry about that, so please get her some two percent, okay? Two percent."

"Got it," Addison chuckled and held Sofia in one arm, and the pink backpack in the other. "You have fun, alright?" she smiled at Callie.

Callie took a shaky breath and kept her eyes locked on Sofia.

"Hey…" Addison caught the worried look on her best friend's face, "everything's going to be okay," she reassured. "Sofia will be very safe with Auntie Addie. Isn't that right, Sofia?" she gently rocked the two-year-old.

"I've never spent the night away from her…" Callie admitted softly.

"I know, and everything is going to be fine," Addison promised. "We'll play lots of games, and eat lots of healthy snacks, and if it makes you feel better, we'll call you to say good night."

"Please…" Callie nodded her head.

"Okay?" Addison smiled. "Now go and be a good girlfriend and have fun with your woman."

"Thank you so much, Addie…"

"Don't even mention it," Addison laughed, "I've been waiting for the day I got to have Sofia to myself anyways."

"Okay," Callie released a breath. "Be good, mija…" she showered Sofia with kisses, "I love you," she added before turning away and heading towards the elevator.

Outside the old apartment building, Arizona waited in her Range Rover. She checked her light make-up in the rearview mirror one last time, and then smiled when she saw Callie walking down the front stairs of the building. Arizona had never seen yoga pants, a hoodie, and a baseball cap look so sexy in her life.

"Hey," Callie opened the door and greeted the other woman.

"Hi…" Arizona smiled, "just pop that in the back," she motioned towards Callie's hiking backpack.

"Sweet," Callie opened the second door and threw her bag in before taking her seat on the passenger's side.

"This is for you," Arizona lifted the coffee from the cardboard tray and paused when she saw the travel mug in Callie's hand. "Oh…" she frowned, "you already have one."

"Oh no," Callie laughed, "I want your coffee." She put the travel mug in the slot, and took the fresh coffee. "Hmm, that is good…" she sighed in relief. "They steam their beans right before they grind them so it just gives it that perfect texture. It tastes so much better, if you're willing to spend a few extra bucks." Callie added, pointing at the coffee shop label to emphasize her point.

Arizona unconsciously smiled as she watched Callie take another generous sip.

"What?" Callie asked when she caught her girlfriend staring.

"Nothing," Arizona smirked. "You just-" she reached over and swiped her index finger across Callie's bottom lip. "You get really passionate about coffee," she wiped the drop of coffee from Callie's mouth.

"Oh," Callie blushed, "I grew up in the coffee business."

"Yeah?" Arizona asked in amusement, "I didn't know that."

"M-hm," Callie nodded her head, "my dad owned a coffee shop… a few, actually."

"So you must really know you're coffee," Arizona teased.

"Oh yeah," Callie boasted. "I mean, give me the proper equipment and I can make you a drink you can't forget."

"Oh?" Arizona pursed her lips, "You'll have to prove that to me one day."

"Deal," Callie chuckled and placed the paper cup back in the cup holder. "So…" she reached for the map in her bag.

"I already know where we're going," Arizona informed.

"Yeah?" Callie paused.

"Yup," Arizona tapped on the screen beside her steering wheel. "Let's see…" she strolled down until 'Flanagan's Inn Bed and Breakfast' showed up.

"Wow…" Callie glanced at the built-in monitor. "Can you order dinner while you're at it?" she teased.

"Actually…" Arizona tapped a few buttons and a map of the city showed up, with little red dots marking the restaurants.

"Alright, fancy car…" Callie chuckled and looked at her girlfriend. "Is it programmed to go?"

"Hmm…" Arizona returned to the map that was pre-set to direct them towards the B&B, "ready."

"Awesome," Callie smiled, "let's go."

000

Once the two were able to drive out of the city traffic, Callie requested to turn on the radio for a smoother ride for the next three hours.

"So have you been there before?" Arizona asked.

"Nope," Callie shook her head, "I thought we could sort of discover something new together."

"That's pretty romantic," Arizona smiled and gazed at her girlfriend. "Do you have an idea what's around there?"

"Um…" Callie looked up in thought, "hiking trails, a lake, and a casino if you're willing to drive a few extra miles north."

"That's interesting…"

"That's all they had on their website."

"So what are we going to do first?" Arizona asked.

"Whatever you want," Callie shrugged her shoulders. "It's your birthday weekend."

"Well, what do you want to do?" Arizona countered.

Callie smiled and shrugged her shoulders again.

Arizona laughed lightly and turned her head towards the road ahead of them. The sky was clear, the road was empty, and she already knew it was going to be a good weekend with Callie.

"Oh…" Callie jerked in surprise when her phone vibrated in her pocket.

"We've been gone all in ten minutes," Arizona teased, "who could that possibly be?"

"Addison," Callie furrowed her brows and opened the text message. "Ooh…"

"What is it?" Arizona asked with concern. Not quite sure what kind of 'Ooh' Callie had voiced.

"It's Sofia," Callie smiled and showed her girlfriend the picture of Addison and Sofia eating lunch. Adorable bits of mashed yam smeared across Sofia's mouth.

"Awww," Arizona smiled, "she's so cute."

"Yeah…" Callie sighed and traced her daughter's cheek on her phone screen.

"She looks exactly like you," Arizona pointed out.

"You think?" Callie glanced at her girlfriend and looked at her phone again. "Sometimes I look at her and I see Mark," she admitted. "Sometimes she does something naughty and she gives me this evil smirk… and it's just so Mark," she added with a soft laugh.

Arizona smiled and looked at her girlfriend for a brief moment. "Is she a trouble maker?" she asked, and turned away to keep her eyes on the road again.

"The worst!" Callie laughed. "I want to say she got that from her dad, but I'm just as guilty in contributing to her evil mastermind."

"What does she do?" Arizona chuckled.

"Where do I even start?" Callie rolled her eyes and began to laugh. "One time she didn't want to go to daycare so she hid my bus tokens in Miss Molly's dress pockets."

"Yeah?" Arizona chuckled.

"She's a sneaky one," Callie shook her head from side to side. "Or the time Cristina's boyfriend was fixing the pipes under the sink… she stuffed his tool box with Cheerios. She said it looked like a hungry lunch box."

"That's adorable," Arizona laughed.

"She's very generous," Callie laughed along.

"She's a great kid, Calliope," Arizona complimented. "She's two years old and I can tell you've raised her so well."

"I try," Callie admitted. "I mean, I could probably provide her with fancy things if I worked full time. But I have to raise her. I don't trust anyone else teaching her right from wrong, so I'd rather work part-time and spend as much time as I can with her."

Arizona glanced at her girlfriend and nodded her head in agreement. "You're a great mother, Callie."

"Thanks," Callie sighed for a moment, and then flashed her girlfriend a small smile.

Arizona returned the smile and glanced back at the road. They sat in comfortable silence as she drove to their destination, and Callie smiled every now and then as Addison sent her more pictures.

"So I had an interesting dream last night…" Arizona spoke after a few minutes.

"What happened?"

"Well…" Arizona paused. "You can't freak out, okay?"

"Try me," Callie challenged.

"I had a dream we were married."

"What?" Callie jerked her head towards her girlfriend.

"I had a dream…" Arizona blushed, "we had rings and commitment, and we were… married."

Callie's eyes widened as she gazed into her girlfriend's eyes. The thought of marrying Arizona had never crossed her mind. Sure, they had been dating for a few months. And she saw them dating for a few more. But marriage was another story. Even if it was just a dream, the thought of Arizona marrying her was beyond what she could imagine now.

The sight of a large object suddenly appeared in Callie's peripherals and she turned her head in time to see a truck ahead of them. "Arizona!" she gasped.

Arizona jerked her head towards the road and immediately honked her horn as she swerved around the slow truck. "Fuck…" she quietly cursed under her breath as she drove away. She glanced at her rearview mirror and saw the truck had stopped in the middle of the road. "That came out of nowhere…" she uttered and looked at her girlfriend. She clenched her teeth in remorse when she saw Callie with her eyes closed, and her hands protectively covering her head.

"No, no, no," Callie quietly chanted as she quivered in fear.

"Callie…" Arizona sighed. She had never hated herself so much until this very moment.

"I'm okay," Callie barely whispered, "I'm…" her words were cut off with the memory of her previous car accident replaying in her head.

Arizona took a deep breath and took the nearest exit. She drove to the nearby gas station and parked the car to be able to tend to her girlfriend.

"Calliope," Arizona unbuckled her seatbelt and shifted close enough to rub her girlfriend's back. "Callie, I am so sorry…"

Callie simply nodded her head and buried her face into her hands.

"Callie…" Arizona kissed her girlfriend's shoulder, "I'm sorry…" she whispered. "I'm sorry…"

Callie slowly opened her eyes and sighed when she saw the gas station. "We're okay…" she gulped, "that's all that matters."

"I should have been watching the road," Arizona apologized again.

Callie sighed and slowly turned towards her girlfriend. "Don't do that again… please."

"Promise," Arizona quickly nodded her head, "from now on, eyes on the road… always."

Callie gulped nervously and let her head fall back against the headrest. "That really freaked me out…"

"I know," Arizona bit the inside of her bottom lip to hold back her self-anger. "I'm so sorry."

"I don't know what freaked me out more," Callie voiced softly.

"I'm…" Arizona was about to apologize again. She would apologize a hundred times if she needed to, but Callie quickly stopped her.

"I don't know what freaked me out more," Callie repeated. "The truck or the idea of getting married," she added in a lighter tone.

Arizona opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't find the right response to Callie's confession.

"That was supposed to be funny," Callie gave her a small smile. "It was supposed to lighten the mood?"

Arizona knit her brows in concentration and barely cracked a smile.

"It freaked me out," Callie explained, "but we're both okay. You can relax now."

Arizona took a deep breath but her body remained tensed. She almost killed her girlfriend. And she scared her, knowing Callie had a history with car accidents. It wasn't a situation she could just laugh off.

"Arizona, don't hate yourself for it," Callie soothed. "This weekend is supposed to be fun and full of adventures."

Arizona winced and puffed air out of her cheeks, "I feel like a jackass."

Callie scrunched her nose and shook her head, "I wouldn't go that far."

"I'm…"

"I think we've had enough apologies for today," Callie interrupted her girlfriend.

"Okay," Arizona sighed. "Are you okay now?"

"M-hm," Callie nodded her head. "I think I'm ready to go… just, no more surprises, please."

"Alright," Arizona finally cracked a small smile and started the engine again. "Off to Flanagan's… safely."

000

"This is nice," Arizona smiled as she glanced around the large porch in front of the B&B.

"Hello," an elderly man opened the door. "Welcome!" he greeted them as they walked in.

"Hi," Callie smiled back. "Um, Torres?"

"Ah…" he smiled, "We've been expecting you, Mrs. Torres."

"Oh, just call me Callie," Callie corrected with a smirk, "Mrs. Torres is my mother."

"Of course," the gray-haired man chuckled and took the keys out of his pocket, "Room 2 is all ready for you," he added, pointing towards the stairs.

"Thank you," Callie took the keys and looked at her girlfriend. "Want to check it out?"

"Of course," Arizona smiled and picked up her duffle bag.

"Come on…" Callie took her hand and led her up the wooden stairs. When they got to their room, she unlocked the door and let Arizona step inside before her.

"Oh…" Arizona's face brightened as she looked around, "it has a view…"

"It does," Callie gazed out the window.

"And a bed…" Arizona chuckled and sat down with a bounce.

"Of course," Callie locked their door and sat down beside her.

"Hmmm…" Arizona flopped back against the mattress and pulled Callie down with her.

"Oh!" Callie laughed as she fell back in surprise.

"So what do we do first?" Arizona asked.

"Whatever you want," Callie sighed into the mattress.

"I don't know what I want to do," Arizona chuckled. "I'm just happy I'm not at work, and here with you."

Callie turned her head to face her girlfriend, and shifted closer to wrap her arms around her. "Me too," she replied quietly.

Arizona placed a hand on her girlfriend's hip and rested her heads on Callie's bicep. They had only been there for a few minutes, but it was already nice to have time to just lie in Callie's arms, away from the outer world.

"It's so quiet," Callie spoke after a few minutes.

"Shh," Arizona sighed in relief, "enjoy the quiet. This never happens."

Callie smiled and rested her cheek on Arizona's forehead. She rarely got to hold Arizona like this back home. And for a moment, she enjoyed the peace of being in her presence.

Arizona closed her eyes and buried her nose into Callie's chest. She heard chirping come from outside their window, and she slowly lifted her head from her lover's shirt.

"What is it?" Callie asked when she saw Arizona furrow her brows.

"I can hear the birds," Arizona pursed her lips.

"Oh yeah," Callie listened carefully. "You never hear them this much in the city.'

"I know," Arizona sat up and smiled. "I love birds."

"You do?"

"Mhm," Arizona nodded her head, "I know what I want to do first… come on!"

000

Arizona shielded her eyes with her hand as she gazed up at the trees.

"What are we looking for?" Callie huffed as she caught her breath. When Arizona said she wanted to go on a hike, she didn't expect her to trek up the mountain so fast.

"Shh…" Arizona smiled. She took off her backpack and placed it on the ground. She quickly took out the sandwich Callie packed them for lunch, and ripped a piece of crust. "Give me your hand…"

Callie offered her hand, and watched as Arizona placed a few crumbs on her palm.

"Don't freak out, okay?" Arizona smiled.

"You said that a while ago…" Callie teased.

"I know," Arizona blushed, "just hold still, okay?"

"Well, alright…" Callie tried to remain motionless.

Arizona gazed up at the sky and quietly whistled a soft tune.

"What are-?"

"Shh," Arizona smiled. "Give it a minute."

"How-" Callie pursed her lips.

"My dad taught me this trick," Arizona whistled again.

Callie waited patiently until she saw the first bird fly towards her. The little creature gripped onto her finger with its small claws, and began to nibble on the crumbs on her hand. "Hey!" she forcefully whispered, "Arizona look…"

"Here comes a second one," Arizona smiled as another bird flew towards her girlfriend.

"Do you know what kind of birds they are?" Callie asked quietly.

"Guess," Arizona snickered.

"No clue," Callie shrugged her shoulders. "The only birds I know are Big Bird and Toucan Sam."

Arizona giggled and offered a piece of bread to one of the birds. "They're Robins."

"Ah…" Callie smiled, "of course- oh no…" she gasped when they flew away.

"Huh…" Arizona furrowed her brows and whistled again.

"I hope I didn't scare them off…" Callie frowned.

"Maybe they have somewhere else to be," Arizona chuckled.

"Hm…" Callie pouted her bottom lip. "That was pretty neat though. Sofia would have loved that."

"Yeah," Arizona agreed with a smile. "My dad taught me how to call them when I was a kid."

"What else can you call?" Callie asked curiously.

"Cardinal…" Arizona whistled the call, "Song Sparrow…" she whistled a different tune, "I can't remember the rest."

"Your dad taught you all that?" Callie asked.

"Yup," Arizona smiled. "We moved every eighteen months, but he always took the time to take us out camping and stuff. I wasn't a fan of sleeping on the ground, but the birds? They were fun to play with."

"That's sweet," Callie smiled and looked at her handful of crumbs. "Do you think they'll be back?"

"I'm not sure," Arizona knit her brows and glanced up at the sky. "They usually fly away when…"

"When what?" Callie asked when her girlfriend paused.

"When there's a storm coming in," Arizona turned towards her girlfriend and gave her a guilty smile.

"Why are you making that face?" Callie widened her eyes.

"There's a storm coming in…" Arizona winced and pointed towards the dark clouds that were, indeed, starting to fly in from the west.

"Oh no…" Callie gasped.

"We better head back," Arizona chuckled, "like NOW."

"On it," Callie laughed along and began their long hike back to the B&B.

The two women walked as fast as they could. And when Arizona announced that she could smell the rain, they began to jog.

"Nooo," Arizona laughed when she felt rain drops begin to spatter around them.

"RUN!" Callie chuckled and reached for her girlfriend's hand.

"Under that tree," Arizona pointed towards the tree off their trail.

Callie ran through the rain with Arizona's hand in hers. They laughed and splashed through the mud until they took refuge under the large pine tree. A few light drops still sprayed over them, but they were protected under the tree's embrace.

Their hair was dripping wet, and their clothes were soaked to their skin. They gasped for air to re-fill their lungs with oxygen, and held on to each other for support. Their lips were inches apart, and they gazed into each other's eyes as they caught their breath.

Arizona cracked a small smile and tucked a lock of Callie's soaked hair behind her ear. "You're a little wet," she teased.

Callie bit her bottom lip and smiled. "You're really wet," she replied.

"I know," Arizona played along, "I've been wet since I saw you this morning."

Callie's lips partially parted in surprise, and she darted her eyes between Arizona's eyes and lips. "Oh yeah?" she barely croaked out of her suddenly dry lips.

"M-hm," Arizona flashed her dimples and nodded her head. "You," she placed her hand on Callie's hip, "Calliope Torres… make hiking clothes look sexy."

"You make mud look sexy," Callie shot back.

"I thought the mud would make me look dirty," Arizona smirked.

"That too," Callie laughed and leaned in to press their lips.

Arizona moaned when she felt Callie swipe her tongue inside her mouth. She tasted like rain, and the warmth of her lips distracted from the coldness of the storm. "I want you…" she moaned.

Callie smiled against her lover's lips and gently pinned her against the large tree.

"Oof," Arizona gasped when the back of her head made contact with the tree bark.

"You alright?" Callie asked against her lover's lips.

"M-more than alright," Arizona pulled her girlfriend closer to her.

Callie smiled and kissed her deeper. The rain soaked through her clothes, and the wind chilled her to the bone. But she felt a warmer wetness begin to build within her.

"Calliope…"

The way Arizona moaned her name made Callie want nothing more than to take her right then and there. In the middle of the woods. In the middle of the storm.

"Can I…?" Callie grasped the front of Arizona's pants.

"Please," Arizona groaned and moved her hips forwards.

Callie quickly unzipped her girlfriend's cargo pants and carefully slipped her hand inside her girlfriend's panties. She reconnected their lips and slowly rubbed Arizona through her folds while they kissed.

"Oh…" Arizona moaned and spread her legs a little wider.

Callie placed one hand on the tree for support, and pushed into her girlfriend with her other hand. She dipped two fingers into Arizona's slit and gasped when she came in contact with the swollen bud.

"Fuck…" Callie felt her own arousal spill out of her body when she felt how hard Arizona was. She began to massage her girlfriend's clit with her fingers, and continued to toy with Arizona's tongue with hers. Their moans were muffled by the sound of the rain, and neither bothered to hold back their cries of pleasure.

"Callie…" Arizona broke away from the kiss when she could no longer control her body. She rested her forehead against Callie's forehead, and gasped as her breathing began to escalate.

"I'm here," Callie opened her eyes and saw her girlfriend with her eyes shut, and her bottom lip between her teeth. "Just let go," she husked, and rubbed the tip of her girlfriend's bundle of nerves a little faster.

"Oh fuck," Arizona tilted her head back against the tree and opened her mouth in a silent cry. "Fu…" her legs closed in around her girlfriend's hand, and she felt her body tremble with delight when she released against Callie's fingers.

"Oh god…" Callie uttered as she watched her girlfriend come in her arms. Droplets of rain beaded at her forehead, and she licked her lips when a single drop of water trickled down Arizona's neck.

"Callie…" Arizona grabbed onto her girlfriend's wrist to stop Callie's motions before pleasure turned into pain.

Callie stilled her hand when Arizona held onto her wrist, and she slowly eased her fingers out of her folds. "That was… so hot," she husked and kissed Arizona's neck one last time.

"I've never done anything like that before," Arizona in haled deeply as she caught her breath.

"Me neither," Callie admitted.

Thunder rumbled through the trees and Arizona flinched in surprise.

"We should go before it gets worse," Callie chuckled.

"Yeah," Arizona huffed, "just give me a minute to catch my breath."

000

The flash of lightning filled the room, and the clap of thunder soon followed. As soon as the door to room 2 was locked, Callie pinned her girlfriend against the mattress of their bed, and softly scattered kisses down her neck. Raindrops tapped on the window, and the sound of wind scraped through the side of the house. The symphony of noises filled the space, and the warmth of two bodies in heat radiated through the room.

Arizona flipped them over and topped her girlfriend after a moment. They tore off pieces of clothing, here and there, and eventually they were touching skin to skin. Lightning flashed through the dark room, and Callie arched her back when her girlfriend cupped her mound. Thunder shook through the house, and Callie moaned when Arizona entered her with two fingers.

Arizona smiled against her girlfriend's neck, and slowly pumped in and out of Callie's wetness. She began to feel her forearm burn from the repeated movement, after a moment, but Callie's curses kept her going.

When Callie felt her orgasm approaching, she reached for Arizona's wrist and held her in place. She flipped them so she was on top, and thrust her hips into Arizona's hand repeatedly.

"Fuck..." Arizona groaned when she felt Callie begin to tighten around her fingers, "you're so close."

"Yeah," Callie replied in a ragged breath. She sped up her hips and held herself above Arizona with one hand. "I'm…"

Arizona gazed up at her girlfriend and gasped when she felt Callie's wetness trickle down her wrist. Callie's hips rocked into her hand one last time, and Arizona moaned when she felt Callie suck her in.

"Ah…" Callie gasped, "Hm…" she moaned, "Oh…" she heaved as she peaked with Arizona inside of her. The storm outside echoed her cry, and she felt nothing but pleasure radiate through her body as she came for her girlfriend.

When she gathered enough energy to contain herself, Callie hopped off her girlfriend, and snuggled in beside her. Arizona wrapped her arms around her, and the two simply embraced as they soaked up the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Callie sighed as Arizona toyed with her hair, and Arizona repeatedly brushed her girlfriend's hair with her fingers. They still smelled like rain, but a wisp of their scent lingered in the air with it.

"That was amazing," Arizona whispered after a moment.

"That was pretty awesome," Callie smiled and kissed her girlfriend's collar bone.

"Is it bad," Arizona inhaled deeply through her nose, "is it bad if I'm tired?"

"Of course not," Callie furrowed her brows and glanced up at her girlfriend.

"I mean, I really want to do that again," Arizona blushed, "but I got really sleepy all of the sudden."

"Hmm," Callie smiled and shifted closer. "The rain does that to me too," she admitted, tracing lazy patterns on Arizona's skin.

"I'm also hungry," Arizona added with a smirk. Callie arched her eyebrow, and Arizona began to laugh, "I mean for food, Calliope. I'm hungry for food."

"Of course," Callie laughed along and slowly sat up. "I guess it's time for dinner."

"Do you think we can get food from here?"

"I think they only serve us breakfast," Callie chuckled, "but we can try."

000

"Shh," Callie giggled as they tip-toed down the stairs in the middle of the night.

"Sorry," Arizona chuckled as she took another step, and the old floor boards creaked beneath her.

"You're gonna wake up the old man," Callie teased.

"Oh please," Arizona whispered, "If the thunder can't wake him, a little creaking won't hurt."

"You're right," Callie laughed and padded her way to the kitchen. She turned the lights on and glanced around for something to eat.

"Can we just take this stuff?" Arizona asked.

"I don't know," Callie shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, a banana can't hurt…" Arizona ripped a banana from the fruit bowl.

"Sure, if you're okay with being a fruit thief," Callie teased and took an apple from the bowl.

"We just… we won't eat the fruit when they serve us breakfast," Arizona rationalized.

"Hm," Callie arched her eyebrow and took a bite of her apple. "Of course," she snorted when the lights flickered and the power went out.

"I think that's a sign we shouldn't be here," Arizona quietly laughed.

"Let's go," Callie held the fruit in her mouth and reached for her girlfriend's hand. "Careful, okay?"

"Yep," Arizona held her free hand out in front of her, and they felt their way through the dark.

"Omph," Callie grunted when her foot crashed into a piece of furniture.

"You alright?"

"M-hm," Callie mumbled.

"Stairs…" Arizona warned when she felt her way up the first step. "Easy…"

Callie trusted her girlfriend and let her guide them up the stairs. It was like the blind leading the blind, but she trusted Arizona with her judgment until they got to their room.

"I can't believe we did that," Arizona laughed as they locked the door.

"I can't believe we did a lot of the things we did today," Callie added.

"This was so much fun," Arizona tossed her banana peel in the waste bin, and jumped on the bed. "Getting away was a great idea, Calliope."

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," Callie smiled and dropped her apple core into the bucket.

"I am," Arizona pulled her girlfriend into her arms and kissed her nose. "I can honestly say this is the best birthday present I've ever gotten."

"Ever?" Callie asked in surprise.

Arizona flashed her dimples and nodded her head, "You made me come under a tree… in the middle of the forest, in the middle of a storm."

"That was pretty amazing," Callie admitted. "I never thought being caught in the storm would be so romantic."

Arizona smiled and tangled her fingers in her lover's hair, "Only the perfect storm."

000

Callie woke up first and smirked when she saw Arizona's hand on her chest. They had made love a few more times after their midnight snack, and now they were naked under the sheets again.

She winced when sunlight met her eyes and she glanced at her phone when she the 'missed call' message on her screen. Stretching her back, she reached for the device without waking up her girlfriend. She missed a call from Addison, and received a text from her shortly afterwards.

"You're probably busy, we're just saying good night." Callie read in her head and rolled her eyes at the winking face Addison sent her. She opened the attached picture and smiled when she saw Sofia sleeping on Addison's chest.

"Hm…" Arizona moaned as she stretched. "Morning," she greeted when she opened her eyes.

"Morning," Callie smiled.

"Is that Sofia?" Arizona asked.

"Yup," Callie showed her girlfriend the picture.

"Awww," Arizona cooed. She shifted closer and rested her head on Callie's shoulder as they looked at the picture.

"This is the first time we've spent the night apart," Callie admitted.

"Yeah?" Arizona stifled a yawn.

Callie nodded her head, "I've been with her every day since she was born."

"You must miss her like crazy," Arizona voiced.

"A little," Callie turned to face her girlfriend. "How'd you sleep last night?" she decided to change the topic before she asked to be driven home to her daughter. She loved spending time with Arizona, but there was a motherly instinct that would always attach her to her baby.

"Great," Arizona straightened her back, "but I'm sore."

"Hmm… must be from all the hiking," Callie teased.

"Maybe," Arizona pouted her bottom lip, "or from all the humping.'

"Bold," Callie laughed.

Arizona chuckled and sat up, "I'm hungry. Can we get some breakfast?"

000

Once they were clean and dressed for the day, the two women decided to eat their morning meal at the back porch of the B&B. The soil still smelled like rain, and the nature around them brightened as they woke up with the sun.

"Is there anything else I can do for you two?" the housekeeper asked.

"We're fine, thank you so much for all of this," Callie smiled.

"Any time," the man nodded his head and gave the women some privacy.

"Hmm," Arizona smiled when she took a bite of her omelet. "This just hits all the right spots."

"I thought I hit all the right spots," Callie teased.

Arizona rolled her eyes and scooped a piece onto her fork. "Here, try it…"

Callie opened her mouth and took the bite, "Oh… hm… that is good."

"I told you," Arizona chuckled.

Callie smiled and washed the eggs down with her coffee. The place was so quiet, and she closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the peace.

"Can you play acoustic?" Arizona asked after a minute.

"Hm?" Callie opened her eyes and saw her girlfriend nod towards the guitar stand in the corner of the porch.

"I've heard you play electric," Arizona explained. "Do you know how to play acoustic too?"

"Yeah," Callie nodded her head. "You sort of know how to play both if you know how to play one."

"But isn't one more…" Arizona fiddled her fingers.

"They are very different," Callie agreed. "You can make the electric cry, while you can make the acoustic hum." She chuckled and reached for the guitar, "But they're essentially the same. Wanna try?"

"Me?" Arizona shook her head, "No, no, I'm practically musically challenged."

"Just try," Callie encouraged.

"Um…" Arizona took the guitar and looked at her girlfriend for further instructions.

"So just put your fingers here…" Callie guided Arizona's fingers into a chord, "and strum."

Arizona dragged her thumb down the strings to make a noise. "I'm really bad at this," she blushed.

"You just played your first note," Callie chuckled, "give it time."

"Nah," Arizona shook her head, "I think I'll just listen to you play it…" she took the guitar and offered it to Callie.

"Alright," Callie smiled and took the instrument, "any song requests?"

"Surprise me," Arizona smirked.

Callie placed her fingers on the neck of the guitar and paused for a moment. She took a deep breath, and began to pluck the strings with her other hand.

Arizona listened attentively. She couldn't recognize the song by ear, but she loved listening to Callie play.

"What song is that?" she finally asked.

"Uh… nothing," Callie stopped playing. "I just made it up."

"You just made that up? Like, right now… on the spot?" Arizona asked in amusement.

"Yeah," Callie blushed, "the notes are like words… I guess it's like making up a poem."

"That's amazing," Arizona smiled, "you're amazing..."

Callie gave her a small smile and put the guitar back on its stand.

"Who taught you how to play like that?" Arizona tried to learn more about her lover.

"My dad," Callie dropped her gaze, as if she was avoiding the topic.

Arizona caught the hurt in Callie's voice and lowered her head to meet Callie's eyes. "Were you close with him?"

"Yeah…" Callie nodded her head. She hadn't talked about her father in almost a decade. "Well, I was…" she added.

"What happened?" Arizona naturally asked. She saw Callie hesitate to answer and she quickly corrected herself, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be nosy."

"It's okay," Callie reassured, "I just haven't talked about him in years."

"We don't have to talk about it," Arizona said softly.

"I don't mind," Callie admitted, "It's just a long story."

Arizona glanced at her gold watch and looked back at Callie. "I think we have time," she teased.

"Well…" Callie smirked and caved in. "I guess it all started in senior year. I met this girl. And we sort of… I guess you could say we fell in love. Whatever 'love' meant to my seventeen year old self, anyways."

Arizona listened attentively and encouraged Callie to continue.

"Her name was Erica and she was… she made me really happy for quite some time. Genuinely happy." Callie took a deep breath, "Then daddy found out about it and he gave me an ultimatum…" she sighed, remembering the day that changed her life forever. "I was to never see Erica again, or I would be kicked out of his house."

"And you took the second option?" Arizona pieced the story together.

"Yup…" Callie nodded her head, "Erica made me happy. My seventeen year old self believed she was soul mate. I loved my dad, but he would never support my kind of lifestyle. He said he wouldn't watch his daughter live a life of sin, knowing he wouldn't see me in heaven."

"Oh no…" Arizona winced.

"But being the rebellious teenager I was, we said it was okay." Callie continued. "Erica and I would go out and make it on our own. We lived in a small motel for a month and we got by on 'love' and canned beans. We were going to run away to where no one knew our names."

"And that's how you came to Seattle?" Arizona asked.

"It was that or Boston." Callie explained, "The rent in Miami was just too high for two part-time waitresses, and it was hard to find full-time employment. So we decided to take the next bus to nowhere. Mark was my best friend back in the ninth grade, and he moved to Seattle to live with his mother when his father got sick. He was the only family I really had left."

"So you and Erica ran away to Seattle..."

"We did…" Callie nodded her head, "and it was great. Mark was a bar tender at the club and he hooked us up with little jobs until we got full-time employment at the diner."

"So you weren't always a dancer?" Arizona asked curiously.

"No at first," Callie let out a small laugh, "I used to clean the stage at the end of the night. I'm the one who kept those poles nice and polished."

"Ah," Arizona continued to listen.

"We actually thought we were starting out life together," Callie admitted. "We were young, and in love, and it was hard to do everything on our own… but we fought it through. Until reality hit us like a ton of bricks."

"What happened?" Arizona asked.

"We started to get tired." Callie shrugged her shoulders. "We started to get tired of working long hours, just to have a roof over our heads. Tired of working so much, just to have food on the table. We started to get tired of being spit on by the people above us. And we grew tired of each other. So we always fought. If it wasn't about money, it was about jealousy. I seemed to catch a few eyes at the club and Erica wasn't happy about it. The jealousy blurred her vision and she let herself believe that I was sleeping around. I denied it, and tried my best to show her how much I still loved her, but we still fought. If it wasn't about jealousy, it was about not doing enough to support each other… in just under a year it was like we didn't know each other anymore."

"That's tough," Arizona empathized.

"And one day she just left. I came home and her things were gone…" Callie said blankly.

"Oh…" Arizona released a breath.

"I was broke and abandoned …"

"But it gets better, right?"

"I guess," Callie smiled out of the corner of her mouth, "I moved in with Mark and well…"

"Sofia?" Arizona smirked.

"Not yet," Callie chuckled. "I dated a man… a nurse, actually. George O'malley," she let the name roll out of her mouth with distaste. "He was sweet, and dorky, and I actually thought he loved me. We even almost got married!"

"Really?" Arizona's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Really," Callie laughed at her past life decisions. "Until I found out he was just your regular club asshole. He had two other women on the side, and he was really just in it for the sexual excitement of dating a stripper."

"That's horrible!" Arizona furrowed her brows in anger.

"Yeah, well…" Callie raised her shoulders up to her ears and released them with a sigh. She knew her life could get rough, but not once did she top and sit in self-pity. She knew other people had it worse, and she focused on working towards a better tomorrow. For her, and now, Sofia.

"I'm sorry you've come across such shitty people," Arizona apologized.

"Hey, everyone has their story," Callie countered. "We've all encountered those shitty people, but I think they're what toughen us up. You know, make us stronger."

"I think they also lead you down the right path," Arizona added. "I mean, sometimes you have to take the dirty side trail to get to the high road. If my ex didn't cheat on me, I never would have gone to the club with Teddy and met you, right?"

"That's a way to look at it," Callie agreed.

"I mean, I can't even imagine my life now if I hadn't agreed to out with Teddy that night," Arizona blushed.

"Me too," Callie smiled and glanced at her girlfriend. Now that she thought about it, she could no longer picture her life without Arizona, and she was thankful that their paths had crossed. "So yeah…" Callie continued, "I haven't talked to my father in years. He doesn't even know he has a granddaughter."

"Would you talk to him… if you knew he would listen?" Arizona asked.

"Maybe," Callie replied honestly. "But with the whole gay thing and a baby out of wedlock…" she scrunched her nose and shook her head from side to side.

"But family is family, right?" Arizona thought. "Blood is thicker than water."

"I really don't know," Callie sighed. "I've accepted the fact that Sofia's my only family now."

Arizona sighed and placed her hand on Callie's thigh. "I can relate." she admitted, "Except I sort of stroll on my own."

"You don't have a family?" Callie asked.

"Not much," Arizona shook her head. "My parents live across the country and well… I guess the hospital is like my family. But even there, only Teddy sees me as a sister."

"Well, you're kind of a workaholic," Callie teased lightly.

"Yeah," Arizona agreed. "I guess work just distracts you from the loneliness."

"I know," Callie spoke from experience, "I did that too before I had Sofia."

"M-hm," Arizona gave her girlfriend a small smile, "at least now you have adorable little Sofia."

"I do," Callie gazed into space as she thought about her precious little girl. "And then I almost lost her," Callie's smile faded and she remembered the accident. "I almost lost her like I lost Mark… because of a stupid drunk driver."

Arizona couldn't think of words to say at this point and she simply wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. This was the first time she heard Callie's story, and a part of her was shocked, and angry, that the universe let such a good person go through so much misfortune. And with Callie in her arms, she knew, in her heart, that she wanted nothing more than to make Callie feel the love she deserved.

Callie felt a tear stream down her cheek and she couldn't help but sob in Arizona's arms. "It's hard, Arizona…" she hiccupped. "Sometimes I wonder what else I have to live for other than serving burgers and dancing for cash. I never thought I'd be nothing more than what I am now."

Arizona felt her heart break and she tightened her hold around her girlfriend. "You_ are_ more than that," she said softly. "Calliope, you're a mother… of a sweet little girl. And I have never met anyone as special as you."

Callie took a shaky breath and lifted her head from her girlfriend's shirt. "Sorry," she apologized, "I didn't mean to break down during your birthday getaway."

"Don't be, Calliope, I'm the asshole who asked," Arizona cupped her girlfriend's cheek and wiped the tears with her thumb.

Callie exhaled through her mouth and looked into Arizona's deep blue eyes. "Thank you…"

"What for?" Arizona soothed Callie's cheek with her thumb.

"I don't know," Callie let out a small laugh, "I feel like I needed that."

Arizona smiled and kissed her girlfriend's forehead, "I think I needed that too. Couples are supposed to let these things off their chest, right?"

Callie blushed and nodded her head, "But we're not at a couple's retreat."

"Nope," Arizona played along, "But talk is good… and when you've gotten it all off your chest… we can go back to our weekend getaway."

Callie gave her girlfriend a small smile and composed herself, "I think I've gotten enough off my chest today."

"Good," Arizona smiled and took Callie's hand, "Because I have this beautiful girlfriend and I'd like to take her to the lake now."

000

After hiking towards the lake, the two women left their hiking boots by the shore to dip their feet in the water. They ate lunch by the water and enjoyed the scenery as the trees around them began turning orange for autumn.

They shared a few laughs, told a few more stories, and by the time the sun was at its highest, the two found themselves closer, emotionally, then ever before. They learned more and more about each other with each passing minute, and both of them knew they were falling for the other with every spoken word. The captured stares, and the silent smiles, throughout their day didn't go unnoticed. And the two knew the trip had made their trust and friendship grow stronger.

By the time they got back to the house to check out, Arizona knew in her heart that she had fallen in love. She thought she had fallen in love before, or so she thought, but no one had ever made her feel true like Callie Torres.

"Do you have everything?" Callie asked as she packed the last of her belongings.

"I think so…" Arizona double checked her duffle bag.

Callie sorted through her clothes and made sure she had everything she came with. When she caught Arizona staring in her peripherals, she looked up from her backpack and furrowed her brows. "What is it?" she asked.

"I…" Arizona smiled as she admired the woman who had cared more about her in the past few hours than anyone has in the past few years.

"You…" Callie urged on.

Arizona was about to let the three words slip out of her mouth, but something in her told her not to. She didn't want to scare Callie, and she thought that confessing what she felt could be saved for a better time.

"I think I have everything," Arizona cleared her throat, "Ready to go home?"

Callie zipped her backpack and nodded her head, "Ready."

000

"Thanks for the ride," Callie glanced at her girlfriend when Arizona parked the car.

"Calliope…" Arizona chuckled, "I'm your girlfriend. You don't have to thank me for a ride home."

"Well, how else am I supposed to say I appreciate the gesture?" Callie countered.

Arizona tilted her head to the side and smiled. "Just…" she leaned in a little closer, "kiss me."

"Oh?" Callie giggled and pressed their lips. "Thank you," she mumbled against Arizona's mouth.

"You're missing the point," Arizona laughed against Callie's lips.

"Am I?" Callie husked back.

"You are," Arizona answered with their lips still pressed together.

"Are you sure?" Callie asked.

"You're stalling, Calliope" Arizona chuckled against her lover's mouth.

"Am I?" Callie asked again.

"I think…" Arizona smiled against her lover's lips, "I think you just don't want to stop kissing me."

"Hm," Callie laughed, "maybe I don't."

Arizona laughed along and unbuckled her seatbelt, while keeping their lips pressed.

"Oooh…" Callie giggled when Arizona reclined her seat, and she fell back with a quiet thump.

"You okay?" Arizona genuinely asked.

"Perfect," Callie sighed against her lover. "Y-you… you know…" she breathed out between kisses. "I l-live in this neighbourhood."

"So?" Arizona laughed and deepened the kiss with her tongue.

"Oh-hmm…" Callie moaned, "never mind."

Arizona smiled against her girlfriend's lips and massaged Callie's tongue with hers. She tasted too good to let go, and she just didn't get enough of her this weekend.

"Arizona?" Callie softly whispered after a good length of time.

"Hmm…?" Arizona breathed heavily when she pulled back.

"I should go…" Callie proposed, "I promised Sofia I'd be home for dinner."

"Yeah," Arizona nodded her head in agreement, "you should go. She probably misses you like crazy."

Callie gave her lover an appreciative smile and slowly sat up with Arizona still on her lap. "Do you want to join us for dinner?" she offered.

"It's a sweet offer," Arizona admitted, "but I'll pass on this one. I know you'd want to spend time with your daughter."

"Are you sure?" Callie asked. "I can spend time with the two of you…"

"I'm sure," Arizona promised, "I already took you away from her long enough."

Callie gave her girlfriend a small smile and kissed her one last time. "I'll call you later," she added.

"I'll be waiting," Arizona grinned from ear to ear. "Thank you for taking me out."

"Arizona…" Callie uttered in a playful voice, "I'm your girlfriend. You don't have to thank me for your present," she repeated Arizona's previous tactic.

"Alright…" Arizona gave her a sloppy open-mouthed kiss, and giggled when she pulled back. "Got the message?" she asked.

"Loud and clear," Callie smirked and gazed into her girlfriend's eyes, "you're very welcome."


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: All copyrighted material belongs to their respective owners. This is a work of fiction. This is not for profit. No infringement intended.

~author's note~ Don't forget to read chapter 6 first! Your requests have been added to chapter 8 so stay tuned. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 7

Arizona drove straight to Seattle Presb after she dropped her girlfriend home. She received a call late last night, and she was to be there as soon as possible.

000 19 hours ago 000

"Hello?" Arizona pinched the bridge of her nose and slowly stood out of their bed.

"Hello, Arizona? It's me, Doctor Thomas."

Arizona opened her eyes and glanced at the naked woman sleeping beside her.

"I'm sorry to call at such a late hour, but you gave us instructions to contact you if there was a change in status," the man added.

"Give me a sec…" Arizona took her girlfriend's hoodie and quickly put it on, "what happened?"

She walked away from the bed and towards their private bathroom, as not to disturb her sleeping girlfriend. The electricity had yet to return so she answered the call in the dark; the sound of rain blurring out their whispered words.

"We have movement."

Arizona's eyes widened. "Is she responding?"

"We can't confirm that yet," Dr. Thomas answered, "but there is movement."

"Okay," Arizona inhaled deeply through her nose, "I'm out of town right now; I'll be there as soon as I can."

000 Present hour 000

Arizona stood in front of the hospital room and took a moment to contain herself. She hadn't been to this place in weeks, but she knew she had to be here right now.

Taking yet another deep breath, she placed a hand on the door knob and slowly stepped into the private room. The sound of machines beeping met her ears, and the familiar sound of the ventilator crept into her thoughts.

"Joanne…" she sighed and walked towards the bed. The body on the mattress remained motionless, and she bit the inside of her bottom lip to control her emotions.

"Dr. Robbins…" the elderly man she had spoken to earlier walked into the room, "nice to see you again."

"You said she was moving," Arizona shot back.

"She is," the man defended. "Look at her right hand."

Arizona turned towards her ex-girlfriend and noticed the subtle movement of her fingers.

"The nurse discovered it last night," Dr. Thomas explained. "She started moving it last night."

"So she has brain activity," Arizona desperately proposed. As a doctor, she knew it could mean other things. But as the patient's family, she remained hopeful.

Dr. Thomas sighed and lowered his head, "Or her neuroinhibitors are beginning to diminish."

Arizona winced in pain and took hold of Joanne's hand. She sat down on the seat beside her bed, and gently shook the sleeping body. "I know you're still in there, Joanne. Please… wake up."

"Arizona…" Dr. Thomas breathed out.

"I know what you're going to say," Arizona gritted through her teeth in anger.

"You need to sign her papers," Dr. Thomas reminded. "You're her only other substitute decision maker"

"I KNOW," Arizona buried her face into her arm in frustration.

"Okay," Dr. Thomas sighed, "I'll give you two a minute."

Arizona simply kept her eyes closed as the other doctor left the room. "Goddamn it, Joanne…" she lifted her head and looked at the lifeless body on the bed. "It wasn't supposed to be like this!"

She placed her head in her hands as she finally crumbled into a heave of sobs. "We were supposed to go to Spain… and win all the medical awards," she couldn't help but laugh at how pathetic their hopes and dreams seemed now. The woman was in a coma, and a part of her blamed herself for it.

"I should've been there for you," Arizona cried. "If only I had been there for you, you wouldn't have had an affair. You wouldn't have had to run away, and you wouldn't have gotten on that plane."

Arizona pinched the bridge of her nose as the memory of her ex-partner's infidelity replayed in her head. She remembered the moment, crisp as day. She came home late from work, as usual, and she heard Joanne laughing from behind their bedroom door. She knew, in that moment, that her partner was with someone else. But she doubted her suspicion. She opened the door and forced herself to believe Joanne was simply laughing by herself.

But she saw the other woman first. Her eyes weren't blue like hers. Her hair wasn't blonde like hers. Her skin wasn't light like hers. But the stranger in her bed had taken her place in Joanne's life.

"I'm hurt…" Arizona admitted, "I'm hurt, and angry. And I want to say this… this is your fault, and you deserved this… but it's not." She brought Joanne's hand to her lips and kissed the soft skin. "I forgive you," she added. "I forgive you, okay? I forgive you, but I need you to wake the hell up!"

000

"Mami!"

Callie quietly snickered when she heard her daughter yell from behind Addison's door.

"I wonder who it is…" Addison voiced from inside her apartment. "Oh!" she laughed when she opened her door, "it's Sofia's mommy!"

"Hey," Callie laughed along.

"Mami!" Sofia smiled as she wobbled towards her mother.

"Sofia!" Callie grinned until she got a full glimpse of her daughter. Her smile faded and she shot Addison an angry glare. "What happened?"

"She um…" Addison glanced at the two-year-old. "She got some very, very, _very,_ sticky candy stuck in her hair," she explained with a guilty smile.

"Sofia hair cut!" Sofia tangled her little fingers into her shortened strands of hair. "You like, mami?"

Callie narrowed her eyes at Addison and forced a smile towards her daughter. "Of course I like it, baby…" she lifted Sofia onto her hip and assessed the new hair style.

"Auntie Addie cut," Sofia explained.

"She did, did she?" Callie replied sarcastically, giving Addison an angry look.

"I tried my best," Addison dropped her shoulders and pouted her bottom lip like a sad puppy. "Conditioner, shampoo, olive oil, even peanut butter…" she listed, "it just didn't quit!"

Callie sighed and rolled her eyes, "Please tell me you didn't feed her candy all weekend."

"Of course not," Addison defended, "I gave her the veggie puree at every meal." She bit her bottom lip and glanced at her best friend, "she just had a few candies here and there."

"How much candy?" Callie asked.

"Um… maybe a few pieces of toffee…" Addison winced, "every few hours."

"Addison!" Callie growled.

"It was hard to say 'no' with those big brown eyes!" Addison shot back.

"That's why you look away when you say 'no'," Callie lectured with a light laugh. "She has you wrapped around her little fingers, Addison."

"I know," Addison sighed, "I know."

"Well, other than the possibility of giving my daughter diabetes…" Callie spoke with a slight roll of her eyes, "how was everything this weekend?"

"Oh, it was great," Addison answered. "We played at the park… she had bubble baths in the tub… oh, and she had a fashion show with all the clothes in my closet."

"All of them?" Callie teased, knowing Addison had her own collection of clothing for work at the club.

"Okay, not my work clothes," Addison answered with a laugh.

"Sofia wear high-shoes, mami…" the child butted in.

"You did?" Callie playfully gasped. "You wore Auntie Addie's high heels?"

Addison cleared her throat and glanced at the child, "just the two-inch, right Sofia?"

Sofia simply nodded, as if she knew what her godmother was talking about.

"Okay," Callie sighed, "thanks for taking care of her. And by that I mean keeping her safe and fed."

"You're welcome," Addison smiled, "and in fairness, we ate a lot of veggies… we just had an equal amount of desert."

"Yeah, got it," Callie chuckled.

"How about you?" Addison asked before Callie could go. "How was your weekend?"

"It was good," Callie couldn't help but smile.

"Good…" Addison slowly shook her head from side to side, urging Callie to continue.

"Yeah," Callie shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, what happened?" Addison excitedly blurted out.

Callie simply laughed at her best friend. "I don't know, Addison Montgomery… I think it's time I fed Sofia a proper dinner…"

"Nuh-uh," Addison shook her head and blocked the door, "you're not leaving until I hear this story."

"What do you want to know?"

"Juicy details…"

Callie laughed again and looked at her daughter. "Addison, we're gonna have to talk about this later."

Addison glanced at Sofia and realized the little pair of listening ears. "Fine," she agreed, "but it better be soon!"

"Alright, Addison," Callie laughed. "I'll tell you later. Have a good evening."

000

"And then we saw some birds, and a few frogs, and lots and lots of trees…" Callie explained at the dinner table. She took another spoonful of mashed potatoes and carefully fed Sofia with her plastic spoon.

"Birds?" Sofia smiled with mush still on her chin.

"Si," Callie nodded her head. "Mami even fed a pretty orange one."

"Owange," Sofia cackled. "Sofia like owange."

"I know," Callie agreed.

"Mami…" Sofia quickly swallowed another spoonful of her dinner. "Doc-o Wobbins friend?" she asked.

"M-hm," Callie nodded, "Doctor Robbins in my friend."

"Sofia too?"

"Of course," Callie smiled. "Doctor Robbins is a good friend."

Sofia smiled and opened her mouth for another bite. "Yummm," she smacked her lips.

"You like mami's food better than Auntie Addie's don't you?" Callie cooed.

The two-year-old dipped her finger in the small bowl and offered the dab of mush to her mother.

"Mmm," Callie pretended to nibble the food off of her daughter's finger, "thank you, Sofia."

Sofia cackled and slurped the juice in her sippy-cup.

"One more…" Callie offered the last spoon full to her daughter.

"Nope," Sofia closed her mouth and shook her head from left to right.

"Last one," Callie pushed on.

"No," Sofia refused again, "magic word…"

"Really?" Callie laughed, "There's a magic word now?"

Sofia covered her mouth with both of her hands and waited for the magic word.

"Is it strawberry?" Callie asked.

"No," Sofia shook her head.

"I know…" Callie smiled, "pandas!"

Sofia smiled but shook her head again.

"Well what is it?" Callie surrendered.

"I wuv you…"

Callie's lips slowly formed into a smile, and she couldn't help but watch her perfect little baby.

"Say it, mama…" Sofia encouraged when her mother didn't reply. "Say you wuv Sofia!"

Callie blushed and kissed her daughter's forehead. "I love you, Sofia…"

Sofia smiled and opened her mouth so her mother could give her the last spoonful.

Callie pouted her bottom lip and sighed, "Oh mija… I've missed you so much."

After dinner, Callie sat on the edge of her bed to call her girlfriend, as promised. Sofia was already sleeping on the matress behind her, and she took advantage of the quiet toddler.

"Hello?" Arizona answered her phone.

"Hey," Callie smiled, "did you get home alright?"

"Um, yeah…"

"What's that noise?" Callie asked when she heard beeping on her girlfriend's end of the line.

"Oh, um…" Arizona glanced around her, "probably something outside."

"It sounds like really heavy breathing," Callie pointed out.

"Uh, yeah…" Arizona couldn't find another excuse for the other noises around her.

_*Code blue ICU… Code blue ICU…*_

"Arizona, where are you?" Callie asked when she heard the electronic voice.

Arizona silently cursed and took a deep breath, "I'm at the hospital," she admitted.

"Right now…?" Callie glanced at her alarm clock. "I thought you didn't work until tomorrow."

"No," Arizona swallowed the lump in her throat and decided not to lie to a woman who had been nothing but truthful to her. "I'm at Seattle Presbyterian."

"What?" Callie sat up from her bed, "Why?"

"It's… it's a long story, Calliope."

"Are you hurt?" Callie automatically asked, "Did someone get hurt?"

"Not exactly," Arizona winced. "I just have to take care of someone right now. I promise I'll tell you about it later, but I just… I just need to be here for a while. Don't worry about me, okay?"

"It's kind of hard not to…" Callie admitted. "If it's so big you can't tell me over the phone."

"I just need time to process," Arizona sighed again. "Please… just give me time to process, and I'll let you in."

Callie thought about their situation for a moment and decided to comply. "Alright…"

Arizona sighed in relief and hung her head over her shoulders. She noticed Joanne's other hand begin to twitch, and she felt the urge to page Dr. Thomas.

"Calliope, I have to go, okay? I'll call you back, I promise."

"Okay…" Callie's words were cut off when Arizona hung up so quickly she didn't get to say good bye. She wondered what could possibly have gone wrong in the span of a few hours, but she trusted Arizona would inform her when she was ready.

000

Over the next few days, Arizona divided her time between working at Seattle Grace and Joanne's bedside at Seattle Presb.

When Joanne decided to leave Arizona many months ago, she left without turning back. Arizona, too, completely cut her off. She even moved on. She began putting herself out there, and met Callie. It was until a few months ago, when Arizona was finally dating Callie, that she got the phone call about the plane accident. It turned out that Joanne moved on, too. She was running to LA to start a new life. But the plane never made it. And despite Arizona's bitterness towards her unfaithful ex, she was present at Joanne's bedside when she had to be.

Joanne's living will specifically stated that if only life-sustaining procedures would prolong the moment of death, that her treatment would be discontinued after 90 days. The three month mark was nearly days away, and Arizona had forced herself to believe that Joanne would wake up by now. She hadn't even told Teddy or Callie about her comatose ex. She truly thought that Joanne would come back, so the only other person who knew was Joanne's distant step-sister; whom only requested to be informed if there was a change in her step-sister's health status.

In reality, Joanne was just as lonely as Arizona was. That's how they found each other, and that's how they made it through six years of ups and downs. But at the end of the day, sometimes love didn't conquer all. Arizona put her career first, and now she felt like she was paying the price. And she felt the need to suffer on her own. Or so she thought.

"Hello?" Arizona sleepily answered her phone. It was 12 in the afternoon, and she had fallen asleep on her lunch. Again.

"Hey," Callie greeted.

"Hi, what's up?" Arizona urged her brain to wake up.

"I'm just checking up on you," Callie answered.

"Why?" Arizona furrowed her brows.

"Arizona, you've called once in the past two days," Callie voiced with a hint of anger. "You need space, and I understand that, but you're scaring me."

"Oh… you're right," Arizona quickly concluded. "You're right, you're completely right," she added. "I've been such a jackass and you don't deserve this."

"You're not a jackass," Callie sighed. "I just want to be here for you… whatever this is, I'm here for you."

Arizona didn't think the simple words would affect her, but they did. "Thank you," she simply replied. In the months she had keeping this to herself, Callie's reassurance was the first piece of relief she's had.

"I only worked the morning today," Callie explained. "I'm off in a few minutes, can I see you?"

"Um… yeah, sure," Arizona agreed.

"Great," Callie internally smiled. "Where can I meet you?"

"I'm at Seattle Presb," Arizona replied, "I'll text you directions in a minute."

"Perfect," Callie said hopefully, "I'll see you soon."

000

When Callie got to Seattle Presb, she asked around until she found the chapel her girlfriend said she would be in.

"Arizona?" Callie quietly walked into the empty room. She instantly spotted Arizona's head on one of the pews, and she sat on the row ahead of her. "Hey…" she glanced at her girlfriend, who was still lying on the bench in fetal position. "Okay then…" she sighed and rested her chin on the wooden backing. "You talk when you're ready to talk… I'll just be here to listen."

Arizona simply stared at the chair in front of her.

Callie sighed and glanced around the religious articles around the room.

"Joanne's in a coma," Arizona finally voiced.

Callie paused to let her girlfriend continue. "I don't know who Joanne is, Arizona…" she lightly reminded when her girlfriend didn't continue.

"She was my girlfriend…" Arizona said blankly, "the one I dated for six years."

"Oh," Callie awkwardly tapped her fingers against the wooden pew.

"I wished Joanne would die," Arizona finally spoke after another long moment. "I wished her dead for every day of every week, for I don't' even know how long," she paused in thought. "I woke up every morning wishing Joanne would die and now…" Arizona sighed. "What kind of person wishes someone would die? What kind of doctor wishes… knowing how things happen…" she let her words reach a dead end.

Callie furrowed her brows and watched her girlfriend stare blankly into space. "Are you in here… right now… praying for Joanne to die?" she asked, though she hoped Arizona would say the correct answer.

"No," Arizona shook her head, "I'm praying for her to wake up."

Callie sighed in relief and shifted closer to her girlfriend. There was another moment of silence until Arizona took a deep breath and slowly exhaled out of her mouth.

"I thought being cheated on was the worst heartache I would experience," Arizona admitted. "It turns out seeing your ex in a coma is worse."

"I don't know what to say," Callie admitted.

"I don't either," Arizona closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands. "Her will says to pull the plug if she doesn't wake up in the next three days. She has me down as her power of attorney, I can't sign those papers-" her words were cut off by a sickly cough.

Callie reached over and placed her hand on her girlfriend's knee. "Arizona, when's the last time you went home to sleep?"

Arizona looked at her girlfriend and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think I've slept properly since we were at the B&B."

"I'm not a doctor… but I think you need to rest," Callie pointed out. "You need to take care of yourself too."

Arizona sighed and buried her face in to her arms. "I can't sleep, Calliope. I can't sleep, because as soon as I close my eyes I begin to hear her voice. And my mind keeps telling me this is my fault."

"It's not your fault," Callie reassured.

"Yes it is," Arizona shot back. "I was such a crappy partner that she had to have an affair with someone who could actually be there for her. If I had been there for her, she wouldn't have had to run away and get on that plane."

Callie slowly shook her head and rubbed her girlfriend's knee. "None of that was your fault, Arizona. She made the decision to cheat, instead of confront you about your relationship problems. She made the decision to run away with another woman. And the plane accident is out of your control."

Arizona remained motionless for a moment, and Callie thought she had come off too hard.

"I'm sorry…" Callie quickly apologized, "that wasn't my place."

"No," Arizona shook her head. "I think I needed that."

"Okay," Callie sighed in relief.

Arizona slowly sat up and sat closer to her girlfriend. "I'm sorry for being such a crappy girlfriend these past few days."

"Arizona…"

"I mean it," Arizona nodded her head, "we just got back from a beautiful getaway, and then I pushed you away because of this thing."

"I understand," Callie spoke form experience, "I know what it's like to lose a friend."

Arizona looked at her girlfriend and felt tears begin to pool in her eyes. "Yeah…" she finally broke down into tears "she was my best friend."

Callie quickly stood from her seat and sat beside her girlfriend. She supportively rubbed Arizona's back while she cried, and non-verbally told her she was there.

"We messed up really bad towards the end," Arizona sobbed, "but she was my best friend."

Callie nodded her head and kissed her girlfriend's shoulder.

"I can't watch her go," Arizona admitted, "I can't… but it's in her will. I was there when we signed it."

"You have to do what she asked you to do," Callie said softly, "not what you want to do."

"I know," Arizona wiped her tears, "I know."

Callie pressed her forehead against Arizona's temple, and held her lover close as her cries died down. She continued to rub soothing circles on Arizona's back, and she patiently waited until Arizona was ready to talk again.

"Calliope?" Arizona hiccupped after a moment.

"Hm?"

"I'm over Joanne…"

Callie furrowed her brows and waited for her girlfriend to continue.

"I just want you to know that I'm not attached to her like that, anymore," Arizona elaborated. "I still love her as a friend, but… that's it."

"Oh…" Callie released a breath, "of course."

"I just don't want you to think that I'm still attached to her." Arizona explained, "You weren't revenge… you weren't rebound… I didn't use you to get over her."

Callie nodded her head and took her girlfriend's hand, "I trust you."

"Okay," Arizona leaned in and rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder. "You are so important to me right now," she sniffed back her tears. "But if you ever want to leave me, somewhere down the road… please, just leave. You don't have to have an affair."

"Arizona," Callie sighed. "You're tired. You're tired so you're thinking like this."

"Just break it off as soon as there's someone else," Arizona pushed on.

"I'm not going anywhere," Callie kissed her girlfriend's forehead and gently cradled her in her arms. "I'm not going anywhere…"

Arizona closed her eyes as she settled into Callie's embrace. Callie was so gentle, and soothing, that she didn't even realize she had slowly fallen into deep sleep.

Callie sat back against the pew, and stroked her girlfriend's hair while she let her sleep. She wondered why Arizona failed to tell her little details when it came to her life. Arizona held back details about her high-paying job. Arizona held back details about her group of friends. Arizona even held back details about Joanne for the past few months.

Callie had been nothing but honest, but she knew Arizona wasn't as open. She tried to understand where Arizona was coming from. She thought maybe Arizona was still trying to develop deeper thrust. She thought maybe Arizona was the type who was scared of letting people into her life. And, in the back of her head, she thought Arizona was hiding who she really was for some reason she did not know.

Half an hour later, Arizona woke up from her nap and slowly lifted her head from Callie's thigh.

"Hey," Callie smiled and tucked a lock of her girlfriend's hair behind her ear. "Did you sleep well?"

"I didn't even realize I feel asleep," Arizona yawned. "How long was I gone?"

"Just a few minutes," Callie released her girlfriend so she could sit up.

Arizona blinked away her sleep and glanced at her gold watch.

"How do you feel?" Callie asked.

Arizona shrugged her shoulders and looked into her girlfriend's eyes. "There's not much I can do, is there?"

Callie nodded her head and took a deep breath, "these things happen out of our control."

"It's what Joanne wanted," Arizona proposed. "She wouldn't want to be bed ridden for the rest of her days… I know she wouldn't want that."

"Yeah," Callie agreed.

Arizona closed her eyes for a moment and she internally accepted her situation. When she opened her eyes again, she looked at Callie and sighed, "I have to let her go."

000 3 days later 000

"Do you want me to come with you?" Callie asked.

"No," Arizona shook her head, "I'd want to have a moment alone with her, please."

"Of course," Callie nodded her head. "I'll wait out here…" she sat outside the room and watched an older doctor approach them.

"Ready?" Dr. Thomas asked.

Arizona looked at Callie for a moment and then turned towards the older doctor. "Yes," she quietly voiced.

Dr. Thomas opened the door and let Arizona into the room before him. Callie watched carefully as the two doctors entered the room, and she patiently waited outside the glass door. She watched the other doctor say a few words, and Arizona keep her eyes on the woman in the bed. Arizona eventually began to tear up, and Callie wanted nothing more than to comfort her. But she respected Arizona's wishes and simply observed from outside of the room..

Dr. Thomas continued to explain what was happening as he carefully removed Joanne's breathing tube, and stop the pumps that were attached to her body. Arizona took the seat beside the bed and watched as her best friend slowly slipped away.

"Could you give us a minute?" she asked Dr. Thomas.

"Certainly," the elderly man nodded his regards, and left the room to give her some privacy.

Arizona looked at her ex and took her hand. "It hurts to see you like this, Joanne…" she gripped onto her hand and felt the familiar skin against hers. "I'm sorry we ended so badly… but I also want to thank you for the six years we shared. You were there when no one else was, and I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you as much as you were there for me."

The monitors began to beep and Arizona watched Joanne's vitals begin to drop. "You'll always be my best friend," she wiped her tears and continued to say her final words. "Even if we hurt each other so much, you'll always be my best friend." She kissed Joanne's knuckle and closed her eyes.

"Say hi to Tim for me," she whispered. "I know the two of you will be at peace up there."

The flat line coursed through the monitor and Arizona looked up to see the lack of a pulse. "I love you," she said her final good bye and stood up to kiss the woman's forehead. She turned off the beeping monitor, and looked at Dr. Thomas through the glass door to tell him she was ready to have Joanne taken away.

Callie stood up when Arizona came out of the room, and she silently approached her.

"She's gone," Arizona barely whispered. She looked at Callie and took a deep breath, "She's in a better place now, right?"

Callie nodded her head and placed a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Arizona slowly shook her head. "No…" she dropped her head and looked down at the floor. "She was my ex-girlfriend… a cheating ex-girlfriend," she gazed up at Callie for a moment, "I shouldn't be this upset, right?"

"You're allowed to be upset, Arizona…" Callie moved closer and kissed her girlfriend's temple. "She was still a person in your life; a person you just lost. You're allowed to mourn."

Arizona simply rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her.

"Is there anything I can do?" Callie offered.

Arizona simply shook her head. "You've done more than enough," she quietly replied. "You've done more than I could ever ask for."

000

After Joanne's passing, Arizona felt the closure she needed after their six year relationship. She mourned the death of a past lover, and a best friend, but she also saw a light of hope in starting a new life with Callie and Sofia.

Callie had been nothing but amazing through the next days that followed, and Arizona was convinced there was no one on earth that was as understanding, and humble, as Callie. Even if she couldn't physically be there as she mourned, Callie's phone calls and encouraging text messages helped her get by. Arizona realized how blessed she was that she had found Callie, and she knew, in her heart, that Callie wasn't just another girlfriend.

000 Friday Night 000

Arizona opened another beer as the end credits of their rented movie played on her TV.

"That wasn't as scary as I thought," Teddy admitted.

"Say that again when you're alone in the shower," Arizona teased and took a generous sip of her drink.

"Meh," Teddy brushed it off and relaxed into the comfort of Arizona's couch.

"Joanne's dead," Arizona casually mentioned.

"WHAT?" Teddy sat up and looked at her best friend.

"She got into a plane accident three months ago…" Arizona focused her eyes on her drink.

"And you're telling me this now?" Teddy asked in disbelief.

Arizona shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head back as she sipped her drink. "I didn't tell anyone," she admitted.

"Why the hell not?"

Arizona shrugged her shoulder again. "I guess I was guilty… I felt I was responsible for it."

"How could you be responsible, Arizona?" Teddy asked in a softer tone.

Arizona looked at her drink and winced in discomfort, "She wouldn't have gotten on that plane if I was a better partner," she answered.

"Hey…" Teddy shifted closer, "she's the one who cheated."

"But she wouldn't need to cheat if I was there for her."

"That's still not your fault, Arizona…" Teddy reassured.

Arizona reached for their bowl of popcorn and began to snack on their leftovers. "I'm scared I'm going to do the same thing to Callie," she admitted. "One day she's going to realize I'm a really shitty person and she's going to leave me like Joanne left me."

Teddy sighed and watched her best friend drown herself in popcorn and beer.

"Then she's going to get on a plane and I'm going to be here… again," Arizona added.

"Have you talked to Callie about this?" Teddy asked.

"Nope," Arizona shook her head.

"This is really something you should be talking to Callie about," Teddy advised.

"She's so special to me…" Arizona admitted as she gulped down her food. "I feel like I have to hide all the crappy parts of me so I won't scare her away."

"I'm not a relationship expert, Arizona… but I think that could lead to more trouble."

"I guess," Arizona sighed put the bowl back on her coffee table.

"Is that why you're with me on a Friday night?" Teddy teased. "Are you avoiding her?"

"I'm not avoiding her," Arizona rolled her eyes. "She's at work."

Teddy glanced at her watch and furrowed her brows, "I thought the diner closed at midnight."

"Well, you know…" Arizona shrugged her shoulders, "she's probably spending time with her daughter."

"Probably?" Teddy repeated.

"Yeah," Arizona shrugged her shoulders again.

"You're not telling me something…" Teddy caught the hesitation in Arizona's answers.

Arizona simply shook her head in denial.

"Arizona…" Teddy tilted her head to the side.

"She's at work," Arizona answered honestly.

"Is she working two jobs now?"

"No," she shook her head again, "she's always had two jobs."

"So she's not at the diner…" Teddy caught on.

"No…" Arizona took a deep breath and decided not to lie, or rather, hold back the truth from her best friend. "She works at The Lucky Lawyer."

"As a waitress, right?" Teddy asked, though she somewhat knew where her best friend was going with this.

"As a night dancer."

"Arizona…" Teddy's face formed into a state of shock. "You're dating a stripper?" she asked with a hint of disgust.

"She's not just a stripper," Arizona quickly defended.

"I'm sure she's a great person, Arizona. But a stripper…?" Teddy honestly voiced her opinion. "Right now, Arizona…" she said strongly, "she is on another man's lap dancing for cash."

"I KNOW," Arizona closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands.

"How can you date a stripper?" Teddy pushed on. She loved Arizona as a sister and she felt the need to protect her.

"She's so much more than that," Arizona huffed in frustration. "When I'm with her, I don't see what she does for a living. I see more than that. I the most caring woman I've ever met."

"Of course she cares, Arizona." Teddy puffed air out of her cheeks, "You're dripping in cash!"

"She's not in it for the money!" Arizona couldn't help but raise her voice. "She pays her share, Teddy. Even when I know she needs the money, she demands to pay her share. And I let her because she needs that dignity. She has a right to feel like she's contributing to this relationship. So no, she's not just a stripper, Teddy. She's an honest person."

Teddy sat back in her seat and looked at her best friend with a mixture of empathy and disappointment. "I thought she looked familiar," she shook her head from side to side. "You met her that night I took you out, didn't you?"

"I did," Arizona breathed out.

"You were supposed to get over Joanne that night, Arizona. Not start dating the strippers."

"I didn't plan this," Arizona furrowed her brows. "I didn't plan to fall in love with a night dancer, Teddy."

"You love her?" Teddy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I thought this thing was just… just a fling," she added.

Arizona sighed and slowly shook her head from side to side. "I love her Teddy. I haven't told her yet, but I've never loved anyone like this. Not even Joanne."

Teddy's demeanor softened in understanding, and she realized her best friend was serious about dating Callie. "You're like a sister to me, Arizona… but…" she shrugged her shoulders, unable to find the proper words to describe how she felt about their situation.

"I didn't expect you to get it," Arizona admitted.

"I really don't," Teddy said it, straight forward. "But you're my person… and if she makes you happy, I can't do anything but support you, right?"

Arizona looked into her best friend's eyes and shrugged her shoulders.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," Teddy added.

"I know," Arizona slowly nodded her head.

"You're not going to marry her, are you?" Teddy asked half-joking, half-seriously.

Arizona rolled her eyes at her best friend. "I don't know yet, Teddy," she paused for a minute and thought of her recent dreams. "I had a dream we were dancing on our wedding day," she confessed.

"Wedding day dreams already?" Teddy chuckled.

"I know…" Arizona quietly laughed along, "I told her about it and her face just… she looked like I just told her I was a ghost or something."

"Yeah, the thought of marriage usually scares people," Teddy spoke from experience.

"I just want us to be happy," Arizona concluded. "That's all I really want from this."

Teddy nodded in agreement and the two women sat in comfortable silence.

"She does know the father of her kid, right?"

"She's not a whore, Teddy," Arizona answered with a hint of annoyance. "She has a life outside of the club; she can have a relationship just like everyone else."

"But you'll make her quit eventually, right?"

"I'd like to," Arizona admitted. "But right now it's not my place to step in and tell her how to live her life."

Teddy watched her best friend talk about her girlfriend, and she didn't know if she wanted to be mad or supportive of Arizona's relationship. "You have so much respect for her…" she softly pointed out.

"She's a genuine person," Arizona breathed out, "She's not her career."

"Okay, I get it," Teddy sighed and paused for a moment. "Oh, but if she hurts you, I will hunt her down…"

Arizona chuckled lightly and tilted her head to the side. "Hm- you should meet her friend Addison."

000

Arizona parked her car in front of the diner and waited for her girlfriend to come out. After some deep thought, she decided to do something special for Callie on this significant day. Callie had been there for her for the past few weeks, while she took care of Joanne, and it was about time she did something special for her special girlfriend.

When she saw the other woman come out of the diner, she rolled down her window and lightly tapped her horn. "Callie!" she called out to get her attention.

Callie smiled and jogged towards the SUV before letting herself into the passenger's seat.

"How was your shift?" Arizona gave her girlfriend a quick kiss on the cheek.

"It was okay."

"Are you hungry?"

"Not really," Callie shook her head. "It's Meatball Monday," she added with a small pout.

"Oh, is that good?"

Callie blushed and nodded her head. "I'll get you some next time."

"Okay," Arizona smiled and started her car.

"Um, where are we going?" Callie asked curiously. She was excited when Arizona called to say she was out front, but she never had the chance to ask for details.

"I'm driving you home," Arizona explained, "but I thought we'd take a detour first."

"Detour…" Callie suspiciously eyed her girlfriend.

"M-hm," Arizona smiled and nodded her head. They began their drive around the city, and Callie sat in anticipation until they got to their destination only moments later.

"Arizona…" Callie gasped as she read the sign of the store in front of them.

"Before you freak out," Arizona held up her hand. "We're not getting rings," she reassured before she gave Callie another marriage scare.

Callie looked at her girlfriend gulped nervously. "That's a jewelry store..."

"Uh-huh," Arizona nodded her head. "Would you come in with me?"

"We...?" Callie paused for a second. "As in the two of us are going to be shopping… in that fancy jewelry store…?"

"Yes," Arizona simply replied.

Callie lowered her head to read the store sign again. "I… I can't go in there wearing this," she said softly.

Arizona looked at her girlfriend's diner uniform and pursed her lips. "I didn't plan this very well, did I?"

Callie bit her bottom lip and shook her head in disagreement.

Arizona took a deep breath and thought for a minute. "Oh!" she smiled when the idea entered her mind. "I have a blazer in the back."

"A blazer's not going to hide my uniform…" Callie scrunched her nose.

"No," Arizona unlocked her door to step out of the car, "but you won't look like a waitress either."

Callie furrowed her brows and followed her girlfriend to the trunk of the Range Rover.

"Here…" Arizona took the jacket out of bag in her trunk.

"Why do you have that?" Callie asked curiously.

"It's from my last conference," Arizona explained and began putting the material over her girlfriend's shoulders. "I get really lazy sometimes," she added with a light laugh. "I forget to bring my luggage back up to my apartment."

"Ah…" Callie looked down at her clothes and the black sneakers on her feet.

"Just button it like this…" Arizona buttoned the front for her girlfriend, "and you look like a very, very, attractive flight attendant."

Callie blushed and felt the soft material with her hand. "It's so nice…" she grasped the jacket between her fingers.

"You can have it."

"No…" Callie looked up at her girlfriend, "Arizona..."

"I've worn it once," Arizona shrugged her shoulders.

"I can't," Callie shook her head.

"Of course you can," Arizona smiled. "It's yours."

"I don't even have anywhere to wear it to," Callie countered. "It'll just sit in my closet."

"I'm sure you'll find something to wear it to," Arizona brushed her girlfriend's shoulders and held on to her elbows. "Will you come in with me now?"

Callie looked into her girlfriend's eyes and took a deep breath, "O-okay."

As soon as they entered the store, a man in his early twenties was already by the door waiting for them.

"Dr. Robbins," he fixed his tie and opened his arms. "We've been expecting you."

"Hi Felix," Arizona smiled and wrapped her arms around him, "how's your heart?" she asked.

"Still pumping, thanks to you," he replied with a light laugh.

"Good to hear. This is my girlfriend…" she pulled away from the hug and placed her hand on the small of Callie's back, "Callie."

"Nice to meet you," Callie offered her hand, but the energetic lad wrapped his arms around her as well.

"The lucky girl," Felix laughed and linked their arms. "Callie, right?" he asked as he began to walk with her.

"M-hm," Callie glanced between Arizona and the man attached to her arm. Felix was walking her away from her girlfriend and she internally wondered what was going on.

"I've already picked out a fine selection for you this evening," he informed her. "They're the latest in our fall collection, and the finest pieces we have in this very store."

"Um…" Callie furrowed her brows and looked at her girlfriend.

Arizona ignored the look her girlfriend was giving her, and proceeded deeper into the store. "Why don't we start with the Sandra's?" she asked.

"Right this way," Felix chuckled and led the two women to a secluded part of the store.

The various items sparkled under their spotlights, and Callie's eyes widened as she saw the pieces of gold and silver on their black velvet displays.

"Which one do you want to try first?" the man asked with a large grin on his face.

Callie looked at her girlfriend and raised her eyebrows.

"Come on," Arizona took her girlfriend's hand and walked her to one of the stands.

"Arizona… what's all this for?" Callie asked quietly.

Arizona stood on front of her girlfriend and took both of her hands into hers. "Calliope…" she took a deep breath and smiled, "I met you on this day, exactly one year ago."

"You remember the day we met?" Callie asked in surprise.

Arizona nodded her head and blushed. "It was the day Teddy finally got me out of my apartment."

Callie's mouth formed into a small smile and she actively listened to what Arizona had to say.

"I was a horrible mess," Arizona added with a light laugh. "I was skeptical, and I really didn't want to go out with Teddy that day. I remember, because she had to physically drag me out of my apartment."

Callie couldn't help but laugh and she bit her bottom lip as Arizona continued.

"I thought going out that night could never heal my broken heart…" Arizona took a deep breath and looked into her girlfriend's eyes, "but it turned out it was exactly what I needed."

"Arizona…" Callie took a shaky breath and stepped in to kiss her girlfriend's forehead.

Arizona closed her eyes and sighed in her girlfriend's arms. "You stepped in when everyone else walked away, Calliope." She opened her eyes and gazed up at her girlfriend, "And I want to make you a promise, that I'll be here for you too… I'm going to put you first over everything else."

Callie smiled and tucked a lock of her girlfriend's hair behind her ear. "Is that what these promise necklaces are for?"

Arizona nodded her head and smiled. The two of them gazed into each other's eyes until they heard loud sniffing in the background.

"Sorry," Felix wiped his tears. "I've seen couple come in here all the time…" he sniffed back his tears again, "but that was one of the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

Callie and Arizona blushed and shared a quiet laugh.

"So which one do you like?" Arizona asked her girlfriend.

"Oh gosh…" Callie glanced around them, "they all look so nice."

"Let's take a closer look," Arizona tilted her head towards the display.

Callie smiled watched her girlfriend draw their attention to the first pair of matching necklaces.

"Felix?" Arizona called the man's attention.

"Ah," the man contained himself. "Carla's 2003 Forever Collection. Diamond studded ring on a simple silver chain."

Callie inspected the necklace and looked at her girlfriend. "Do you like it?"

"Do you?" Arizona countered.

"It's very… shiny," Callie admitted.

"Okay, we'll keep looking," Arizona led them to the next display.

"Stella's 2009 Ice Collection," Felix explained, "Silver frosted Jack Pine needles on a shiny silver chain."

Arizona pursed her lips and looked at her girlfriend.

"I already know it's not the one," Callie chuckled when she saw the look on her girlfriend's face.

"Yeah," Arizona scrunched her nose and shook her head. "Felix?"

"And here we have Miranda's most recent Sweetheart Collection," Felix drew the two women towards the next display. "Solid heart frame on a durable chain. It comes in your choice of gold and silver."

The two women looked at the necklaces in front of them and silently waited for the other to make a comment.

"It's perfect," Callie breathed out.

"I thought so too!" Arizona smiled in excitement and turned towards Felix. "Can we try them on?"

"Most certainly," the man opened the display box for his customers.

Callie and Arizona smiled as they placed the necklaces on each other. And coincidently Arizona ended up with the gold necklace; and Callie with the silver one.

"Do you like it?" Arizona asked.

Callie nodded her head and gazed into her girlfriend's eyes.

"I'll give you two a minute," Felix excused himself when he saw the loving stares between the two. "I'll be out here if you need me."

Arizona smiled and gently traced the necklace on her girlfriend's chest.

"They're beautiful," Callie said softly.

"So are you," Arizona stated honestly.

Callie smiled and admired the similar heart necklace around her girlfriend's neck. Neither of them said a word, but they shared a moment of appreciation in each other's presence.

"Arizona…" Callie spoke after a minute. "I… I don't need a necklace to tell me how you feel."

"I know," Arizona sighed. "But if there's anything I've learned in the past week alone; it's that life is so short, Calliope. One day you're happy, and the next…" she shrugged her shoulders and looked up at her girlfriend. "We're allowed to enjoy it a little every now and then. So please… just let me give you a dorky promise necklace like a hopeless romantic."

A small smile formed in the corner of Callie's mouth and she leaned in to give her girlfriend a kiss that sealed their promise.


End file.
